Everyone gets drilled with certain lessons in life. Sometimes it takes repeated demonstrations of a given law of life to really get it into your skull, and other times one powerful experience drives the point home once forever. Here are 88 things I’ve discovered about life, the world, and its inhabitants by this point in my short time on earth.
1. You can’t change other people, and it’s rude to try.
2. It is a hundred times more difficult to burn calories than to refrain from consuming them in the first place.
3. If you’re talking to someone you don’t know well, you may be talking to someone who knows way more about whatever you’re talking about than you do.
4. The cheapest and most expensive models are usually both bad deals.
5. Everyone likes somebody who gets to the point quickly.
6. Bad moods will come and go your whole life, and trying to force them away makes them run deeper and last longer.
7. Children are remarkably honest creatures until we teach them not to be.
8. If everyone in the TV show you’re watching is good-looking, it’s not worth watching.
9. Yelling always makes things worse.
10. Whenever you’re worried about what others will think of you, you’re really just worried about what you’ll think of you.
11. Every problem you have is your responsibility, regardless of who caused it.
12. You never have to deal with more than one moment at a time.
13. If you never doubt your beliefs, then you’re wrong a lot.
14. Managing one’s wants is the most powerful skill a person can learn.
15. Nobody has it all figured out.
16. Cynicism is far too easy to be useful.
17. Every passing face on the street represents a story every bit as compelling and complicated as yours.
18. Whenever you hate something, it hates you back: people, situations and inanimate objects alike.
19. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s works alone can teach you everything you need to know about living with grace and happiness.
20. People embellish everything, as a rule.
21. Anger reveals weakness of character, violence even moreso.
22. Humans cannot destroy the planet, but we can destroy its capacity to keep us alive. And we are.
23. When people are uncomfortable with the present moment, they fidget with their hands or their minds. Watch and see.
24. Those who complain the most, accomplish the least.
25. Putting something off makes it instantly harder and scarier.
26. Credit card debt devours souls.
27. Nobody knows more than a minuscule fraction of what’s going on in the world. It’s just way too big for any one person to know it well.
28. Most of what we see is only what we think about what we see.
29. A person who is unafraid to present a candid version of herself to the world is as rare as diamonds.
30. The most common addiction in the world is the draw of comfort. It wrecks dreams and breaks people.
31. If what you’re doing feels perfectly safe, there is probably a better course of action.
32. The greatest innovation in the history of humankind is language.
33. Blame is the favorite pastime of those who dislike responsibility.
34. Everyone you meet is better than you at something.
35. Proof is nothing but a collection of opinions that match your own.
36. Knowledge is belief, nothing more.
37. Indulging your desires is not self-love.
38. What makes human beings different from animals is that animals can be themselves with ease.
39. Self-examination is the only path out of misery.
40. Whoever you are, you will die. To know and understand that means you are alive.
41. Revenge is for the petty and irresponsible.
42. Getting truly organized can vastly improve anyone’s life.
43. Almost every cliché contains a truth so profound that people have been compelled to repeat it until it makes you roll your eyes. But the wisdom is still in there.
44. People cause suffering when they are suffering themselves. Alleviating their suffering will help them not hurt others.
45. High quality is worth any quantity, in possessions, friends and experiences.
46. The world would be a better place if everyone read National Geographic.
47. If you aren’t happy single, you won’t be happy in a relationship.
48. Even if it costs no money, nothing is free if it takes time.
49. Emotions exist to make us strongly biased towards or against something. This hinders as often as it helps.
50. Addiction is a much greater problem in society than it’s made out to be. It’s present in every person in various forms, but usually we call it something else.
51. “Gut feeling” is not just a euphemism. Tension in the abdomen speaks volumes about how you truly feel about something, beyond all arguments and rationales.
52. Posture and dress change profoundly how you feel about yourself and how others feel about you, like it or not.
53. Everyone thinks they’re an above average driver.
54. The urge to punish others has much more to do with venting frustration than correcting behavior.
55. By default, people think far too much.
56. If anything is worth splurging on, it’s a high-quality mattress. You’ll spend a third of your life using it.
57. There is nothing worse than having no friends.
58. To write a person off as worthless is an act of great violence.
59. Try as we might to be otherwise, we are all hypocrites.
60. Justice is a human invention which is in reality rarely achievable, but many will not hesitate to destroy lives demanding it.
61. Kids will usually understand exactly what you mean if you keep it to one or two short sentences.
62. Stuff that’s on sale usually has an annoying downside.
63. Casual swearing makes people sound dumb.
64. Words are immensely powerful. One cruel remark can wound someone for life.
65. It’s easy to make someone’s day just by being uncommonly pleasant to them.
66. Most of what children learn from their parents isn’t taught on purpose.
67. The secret ingredient is usually butter, in obscene amounts.
68. It is worth re-trying foods that you didn’t like at first.
69. Problems, when they arise, are rarely as painful as the experience of fearing them.
70. Nothing — ever — happens exactly like you pictured it.
71. North Americans are generally terrible at accepting compliments and offers of help.
72. There are not enough women in positions of power. The world has suffered from this deficit for a long time.
73. When you break promises to yourself, you feel terrible. When you make a habit of it, you begin to hate yourself.
74. A good nine out of ten bad things I’ve worried about never happened. A good nine out of ten bad things that did happen never occurred to me to worry about.
75. You can’t hide a bad mood from people who know you well, but you can always be polite.
76. Sometimes you have to remove certain people from your life, even if they’re family.
77. Anyone can be calmed in an instant by looking at the ocean or the stars.
78. There is no point finishing a book you aren’t enjoying. Life is too short for that. Swallow your pride and put it down for good, unfinished.
79. There is no correlation between the price of a brand of batteries and how long they last.
80. Breaking new ground only takes a small amount more effort than you’re used to giving.
81. Life is a solo trip, but you’ll have lots of visitors. Some of them are long-term, most aren’t.
82. One of the best things you can do for your kids is take them on road trips. I’m not a parent, but I was a kid once.
83. The fewer possessions you have, the more they do for you.
84. Einstein was wiser than he was intelligent, and he was a genius.
85. When you’re sick of your own life, that’s a good time to pick up a book.
86. Wishing things were different is a great way to torture yourself.
87. The ability to be happy is nothing other than the ability to come to terms with how things change.
88. Killing time is an atrocity. It’s priceless, and it never grows back.
Photo by Philgarlic
I'm David, and Raptitude is a blog about getting better at being human -- things we can do to improve our lives today.
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Hi David,
Fabulous list! There are waaay too many good ones here to list out all my favorites.
But I do like “66. Most of what children learn from their parents isn’t taught on purpose.” As I get older I learn that my folks actually do know what they’re talking about and are smarter than what I gave them credit for when I was a lot younger. :) Just don’t tell them that. ;)
Oh and I’m a waaaay better driver than most people on the roads right now. ;)
.-= Sherri (Serene Journey)´s last blog ..Create Experiences: Gifts That Can Last A Lifetime =-.
This is a really good read for almost anyone. All are amazingly true, especially # 66
When I was a teen I thought my parents (all grown-ups) were stupid. When I actually became an adult, I was amazed how smart grown-ups had became in just a few years.
Wow! OK… now all I need is for you to write a post on EACH of these aphorisms, and we’ll be all set! Seriously, here are your next 88 topics; they’re fantastic! My top three:
2. It is 100 times more difficult to burn calories than to refrain from consuming them in the first place.
->> This is my daily mantra. ‘Nuff said.
11. Every problem you have is your responsibility, regardless of who caused it.
->> This is what I try to teach Hunter when his playdates go awry, “Sure this kid did something awful, but how YOU handle it makes all the difference in how this day is going to turn out.”
32. The greatest innovation in the history of humankind is language.
->> I’m going to have to go with the printing press. Language lets us communicate thoughts and discoveries, but the printing press allows The Great Conversation to continue throughout the ages… maybe the internet is the new printing press?
.-= Lisis´s last blog ..Growing Up on the Road Less Traveled =-.
Bravo, David, well said!
I enjoyed the image you used for this post. It sums up nicely how light, angle, and observation skews the image. It all depends on how you look at it. ; )
When I started to comment to your post, I hadn’t planned to commit to any specific “thing” on your list, but I couldn’t omit that #72 and #81 has particular resonance with me. Agreed!
I LOVE this post! You’ve shared so many great things here — both about the world and about yourself. I have to disagree with this one: “Everyone thinks they’re an above average driver” because I’m pretty sure I’m a bad driver. That, or everyone just TELLS me I’m a bad driver (which would be pretty weird, wouldn’t it?). Hahaha. GREAT post and list!
.-= Positively Present´s last blog ..life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness =-.
Sherri — I discovered that about my parents too; they were very smart about what they taught us and didn’t teach us. BTW I am a way better driver than most people too, there’s really no question about that :)
Lisis — Glad you liked it! You’re right, this list does represent a gold mine for post ideas. I’ve written about maybe five or six of them already.
I think the internet IS the new printing press. It’s never been easier to spread information. But both of them require language to be of any use.
Lori — Yes what a great image, I wish I took it myself. #72 is one of my favorites from this list, I think more female perspectives in business and politics would temper a lot of humanity’s bad habits (war, greed, partisan politics.)
Dani — Haha… ‘everybody’ is usually a bit of an exaggeration. I knew there would be readers who would declare that they are NOT above average drivers.
Howdy David,
I’ve forwarded this post to friends and family. It’s a real goldmine, and a brilliant example of how aphorisms rock.
Just keep swimming,
Rev. Monkey
.-= Rev. T. Monkey´s last blog ..Two salient comments on the passing of Michael Jackson =-.
This is a great list. Lots of valuable insights in them.
.-= Srinivas Rao´s last blog ..5 simple ways to invest and succeed when you’re unemployed =-.
How did you come up with this? This is truly enlightening! I read the Dao everyday, and many of these quotes can be directly related to its verses.. Great stuff!
Rev. T Monkey — Great, thanks Reverend. I definitely have a thing for aphorisms.
Srinivas — Thank you sir.
Shawn — I’ve been keeping a running list for a while now. I’ll probably do a sequel; I would hope I’ve learned more than 88 things by now :)
I’ve got one you can add to your next list: “Happiness isn’t real unless it is shared.” Got that quote from Into The Wild, such a good movie.
I remember that from the movie. I’m not sure I believe it though. I have had many moments of pure happiness that I have never shared with anyone. They could not be expressed anyway.
.-= David´s last blog ..40 Belief-Shaking Remarks From a Ruthless Nonconformist =-.
A person who is unafraid to present an unedited version of herself to the world is as rare as diamonds.
Is this true? I have no energy to be fake. LOL
Cheers!
.-= Teia Hassey´s last blog ..Finding Your True Self =-.
Well, people tend to always hide things, at least imo. I try to be real but I can’t tell everyone everything and I notice myself embellishing things by tiny amounts and it’s almost like I can’t help it. Plus, things not to sound as awesome when it’s real. I don’t know if everyone’s like that… I feel it as extremely natural so I fight against it.
Regardless, almost everyone tends to have something to hide; be it mental problems like OCD, past issues like anger, sexual orientation or even religious beliefs. It’s just how our society makes it and it’s hard to be more than a little different.
I’ll have to go back to read this list in more detail… but the first thing that grabbed me was the number 88, which will always remind me of the song “88 Lines About 44 Women.” : )
Yes, yes, yes! 88 posts and 88 t-shirts! I’d buy numbers 9 and 15, for a start!
.-= Barb´s last blog ..A Short Story to Keep You Entertained =-.
Thanks, David. I needed to be reminded of some of your points. I must say that I cracked up at number 67:) Take care!
I’m speechless. This is what blogging should be about.
I’m sending you a DM now man.
Kudos to you for this amazing list.
.-= Carlos Miceli´s last blog ..Goal Shifting =-.
Teia — Then you are a rare creature :)
Alison — Listening to that song right now on Youtube. I hadn’t heard it before, it’s hilarious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWWpUmRlkRc
Barb — Haha! 88 t-shirts, great idea. Collect them all!
Tina — Thanks Tina. It’s butter if you’re at a good restaurant, margarine if you’re not. :)
Carlos — Hey thanks Carlos, glad you liked it. I’d love it if you’d pass the list along to someone else who’d appreciate it.
#78. There is no point finishing a book you aren’t enjoying. Life is too short for that. Swallow your pride and put it down for good, unfinished.
Amen to this, man. Same with finishing that double cheeseburger. You already lost the money, no reason to lose the time as well.
.-= Nate St. Pierre´s last blog ..People Who Rock =-.
Wow, so much wisdom in here, I love lists like this. I always struggle with #78, I feel guilty when I don’t finish a book because I feel like a quitter, but I guess if I’m not really interested, it’s not worth it, right?
Thanks, this is awesome!
.-= Rosa´s last blog ..Yo me río! – I laugh! =-.
What an awesome collection of wisdom, better than that Baz Lurman song…
.-= Stuart´s last blog ..How to Be Creative =-.
Nate and Rosa — These days I put down most of the books I start, and I’m proud of it. There’s always another great book waiting for me, if the author can’t keep me interested, then I fire him on the spot. I used to feel like a quitter, but now I just feel like I’m protecting my precious time from my pride.
Nate, you are so right about the cheeseburger. I was raised not to ‘waste’ food, but if you don’t want it it’s wasted anyway, might as well not consume that waste.
Stuart — Ha! Thanks Stuart. “Wear Sunscreen” is a classic, I love it. And thanks for linking me.
I really enjoyed reading this and I think I did also learn something. Great blog, David.
.-= Mark Hanselich´s last blog ..The Fitness Equation =-.
Great list David. I hung on to every word. It’s as if I didn’t want this blog post to end. I can tell you invested an immense amount of time on this list.
Kudos to you. I loved it.
Thanks guys!
I will do a sequel once I learn a few more things about life :)
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, instead its about learning how to dance in the rain!!
To enjoy the rainbow you must endure the rain.
Amazing stuff David, keep em coming
You’d better hurry on your sequel. Don’t forget that as we age, we know less and less about life. If you want all the answers, you’ll have to ask someone who hasn’t reached 25… they’ve got the world all figured out (as far as they know).
;)
.-= Lisis´s last blog ..Fellowship Fridays: Dealing with Special Needs =-.
@Lisis Well, that`s great news for me :) Excuse me as I go prepare an anti-aging potion or something :P (See? I have it all figured out)
.-= Rosa´s last blog ..Yo me río! – I laugh! =-.
I like 34. Everyone has a forte and a main talent, and we can learn something from everyone we meet!
I also believe 47. You have to be happy as a single to be happy in a relationship. Otherwise you are just putting a bandage on your emotional wound.
And finally 67 made me me laugh. Obscene amounts of butter? lol, it sounds like you’ve been watching Paula Deen!
.-= Trey – Swollen Thumb Entertainment´s last blog ..Your Comment Is Awaiting Moderation =-.
Hi David,
Finally after a week of not getting access to your site, it finally worked with another browser. Yay!
Great list and there are so many that I loved. The one that sticks out at this moment is the one about how the casual swearing makes people look dumb. That is so true. I have often heard guys at work engage in conversation that had more curses than insight and I always have found it strange. I am glad I am not alone! :)
.-= Nadia – Happy Lotus´s last blog ..The Detachment Myth =-.
Lisis — Uh oh, if the clock is ticking I better get writing before senility starts kicking in. I think sometimes less knowledge means more wisdom, but I may just be going batty in my old age.
Trey — I do a pretty bad job at remembering 34 sometimes, but when I do it really helps me become less judgmental. As the old Buddhist precept goes: “meet everyone on equal ground.”
Nadia — Hooray! It’s Nadia, having escaped from Microsoft’s online prison. ;)
Casual swearing seems to be contagious almost. In my profession, sometimes office-dwelling engineers have to be out at constructions sites talking to hardened contractors, and it’s funny to see them suddenly throwing around casual f-bombs in regular sentences, like it’s a flu or something. I am not entirely immune either :)
I love these little tips. So often when I am going through my routine, I can forget to be happy, or to think of other, it is nice to have a reminder of what is important!
David, WOW! 88? OK, they are great but there are too many for me to comprehend.
“You can’t change other people, and it’s rude to try.”
I’ve got to say that first one is so important. Can people change? Yes, but they’ve got to do it themselves and only if THEY decide they need to change. The number of relationships that are ruined because people try to change others is innumerable.
.-= Stephen – Rat Race Trap´s last blog ..Contentment =-.
#78. There is no point finishing a book you aren’t enjoying. Life is too short for that. Swallow your pride and put it down for good, unfinished.
Or movies or plays.
And I don’t know about swearing. I was a fundamentalist Christian for 17 years, didn’t swear once, then I got out and ‘splurged’ a bit. Now I drop the f-bomb for a variety of effects—humor, shock value, irony, to get someone’s attention, etc.—and it feels like my speech is the richer for it.
But, wtf do I know.
cheers,
Angus
You put a lot of thought into this list. Great job.
.-= prayerthegate´s last blog ..Today I Am Grateful =-.
david this was amazing,
every point, made me want to rush into the other room and show someone. truly great insights
i could see this as a fantastic book, with one point per page accompanied by brilliant full colour photos that captured the essence. the kind of thing you would leave on your coffee table and open to a random page when you need a little dose of wisdom.
regards,
Tom
Thanks Tom. You know, that’s not such a bad idea. *strokes non-existent beard*
This list is awesome. I can’t wait to share this with some important people in my life. So many of these are perfect daily reminders and ones that I plan to keep in mind everyday. Thanks again!
.-= Michael´s last blog ..10 days of Inspirational Quotes & Thoughts: Day 5 =-.
I really liked 58-60 (on labeling people worthless, being hypocrites, and ruining lives in the pursuit of justice). Out of curiosity, is this list presented in the order that you thought of each item? I’d be interested to know how your mind wandered from one to another. Then again, I think too much XD
What an excellent list! I particularly enjoyed (and agreed with) #74.
Thanks Northwest guy, #74 is one of my favorites too.
Good compilation. I liked “Children are remarkably honest creatures until we teach them not to be.”
.-= zencontrol.net´s last blog ..Enjoy Happy Relationships – Avoid These 10 Things =-.
Thanks. They always say exactly what they’re thinking, until adults tell them that that isn’t appropriate.
David,
Was having a just another ordinary day when I stumbled upon your site. I can’t seem to find the right words to describe so I will just say this is awesome and worth the time to send to family and friends. I especially liked reading everyone’s comments and discovering their blogs. But what most impressed me is that you took the time to REPLY to their comments!!! That says alot. I am a subscriber now, Thanks.
Hey thanks Steve, it means a lot to me to hear that you want to share this with people.
I value my readers very much and love to chat with them. Many of them do run great blogs! If you’re on Twitter you should hit me up. :)
great points u have there.
but i don’t think this one “Sometimes you have to remove certain people from your life, even if they’re family.” really shapes a personality imho.
.-= robb´s last blog ..Basic photography: understanding Shutter =-.
Yes, that is a controversial one. Many hold blood relations as sacred. But I’ve heard too many stories of people compromising their dreams and lives to appease unpleasable parents, or people who put up with abuse just because they think it is wrong to cut ties with a family member. We don’t choose our family members; some individuals may very well be not good for us, related or not.
I agree. My mother, love her, but as she has gotten older she has become meaner and more demanding and all around diva. My energy & time is just wasted trying to appease her every need.
This post is great! Thank you for your insight and wisdom :)
.-= XiaoMa´s last blog ..xiaoma•miami =-.
They are all good; but there is a difference between knowing them, and using them. Rationally, we know they; but can we use them?
That’s a great question. Each person is going to have to decide if it’s true in their own world first of all, and then figure out what that means to them in terms of how they’re going to live or conduct themselves. If you agree that killing time is an atrocity, then how do you feel when you watch reruns on TV, for example.
Gotta tell you, #78 is patently absurd, especially if you KNOW the book is reputedly good. It’s completely in disagreement with the rest of this list that you ENCOURAGE quitting an endeavor simply because you’re finding it difficult or not enjoyable. Sometimes the wisdom in what you’re reading isn’t immediately available. I’ve almost quit on books a bunch of times, but found that the end of it made the rest well worth it. Following that advice, I may have stopped reading this list 25% of the way through because one or two of the “truths” sucked. You know? Then I would have missed the rest of the good ones. I actually enjoyed your list, I just think that one is dead wrong.
Wow, quite a strong reaction you had.
I wasn’t suggesting you should put a book down just because you get to a part you don’t like. But we’ve all forced ourselves to finish books simply because we started them, even if we’re halfway through and we don’t feel like they are doing anything for us. Not everyone gets the same value out of something as everyone else did.
Have you read the Bible cover to cover, in light of its strong reputation? Surely it is worth the time.
If you’re forcing yourself to finish War and Peace just because everyone says it’s so great, you are ensuring that you will not have the time to read another classic that may resonate more with you. Spending irreplaceable hours grinding through a stuffy text just because it’s supposed to be meaningful to you is something I would describe as patently absurd.
Keep in mind these are not 88 suggestions for how others should live their lives. This is just a sample of what I’ve found to be true in mine. What is true in your world may not be true for me, that was the tongue-in-cheek joke behind this whole list. Most people find they resonate with most of them; it sounds like you did too.
Great list – some real truths in there… Hopefully i’ll be able to learn from them! The only one i struggled with was point 5 :-
“5. Everyone likes somebody who gets to the point quickly. The opposite is also true.”
When you say the opposite is also true, do you mean
a) nobody likes somebody who gets to the point quickly
b) everyone likes somebody who gets to the point slowly
or
c) nobody likes somebody who gets to the point slowly
Yeah I noticed that ‘opposite’ is not the right word. I should edit that. I meant, “Everybody dislikes somebody who doesn’t get to the point quickly.”
bless you—may we heed these sentiments with grace and have compassion for each other…
Thanks Jeri!
Hey David, this is an awesome post! I especially liked
“47. If you aren’t happy single, you won’t be happy in a relationship.”
It’s so true. A lot of people think that they will be happy once they find a boyfriend or girlfriend. But that’s just not true. They need to be happy first before they can attract a wonderful relationship.
.-= Yee Shun Jian | RichGrad.com´s last blog ..How To Make Every Day Saturday! =-.
Thanks Yee. It’s always been true for me, I can’t imagine anyone suddenly becoming truly happy by meeting someone.
#9 should have been read before the blue lake trip!
Hi Dust. No doubt! Yeah nothing is accomplished by raised voices. Nobody listens to yelling.
As a continual self improver, I really loved this list from you…I’ve learnt many of these things along the way in my life – and wish I knew half of them when I was really young! That’s the trials and errors of life I suppose…
.-= Vicki´s last blog ..Oooh ! Ark at Me! =-.
ty. these will change my life. I know it.
You sir, are an idiot.
2. It is 100 times more difficult to burn calories than to refrain from consuming them in the first place.
>I burn calories everyday by being alive. So does everyone else.
7. Children are remarkably honest creatures until we teach them not to be.
>Children learn to lie on their own to avoid getting in trouble, they figure out if the blame is not on them they won’t be punished.
8. If everyone in the show you’re watching is good-looking, it’s not worth watching.
>So no shows are worth watching right?
10. Whenever you’re worried about what others will think of you, you’re really just worried about what you’ll think of you.
>Or maybe I care about what others think of me, like say on a job interview.
13. If you never doubt your beliefs, then you’re wrong a lot.
>I like this one, I wish more religious people heard of it.
18. Whenever you hate something, it hates you back: people, situations and inanimate objects alike.
>So inanimate objects and situations have emotions? And people I hate can read my thoughts and hate me back? Whatever you say…
22. Humans cannot destroy the planet, but we can destroy its capacity to keep us alive. And we are.
>I’m sure one day humans will have the technology to actually destroy the planet
29. A person who is unafraid to present an unedited version of herself to the world is as rare as diamonds.
>Diamonds are not rare, the diamond mining companies are controlling supply to keep prices up. Also go look on youtube and you will see plenty of “unedited” people.
31. If what you’re doing feels perfectly safe, there is probably a better course of action.
>Skydiving with a parachute feels too safe… better course of action, jump with an umbrella instead!
35. Proof is nothing but a collection of opinions that match one’s own.
>Real proof is when evidence for one idea continuously disproves opposing ideas. An opinion is an idea made from personal experience. Proof is experience made into an idea.
36. Knowledge is belief, nothing more.
>From dictionary.com Knowledge is “acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation;” So why is knowledge just a belief, when most other beliefs are unfounded, untestable, or have been disproved?
38. What makes human beings different from animals is that animals can be themselves with ease.
>Culture separates us from animals right? Wait don’t Gorillas, wolves, ants, bees, and other animals live in groups with their own social norms?
39. Self-examination is the only path out of misery.
>Or It can lead to OCD, anorexia, bulimia, etc.
47. If you aren’t happy single, you won’t be happy in a relationship.
>Being unhappy alone means you cannot be happy with a person who is your best friend and lover?
50. Addiction is a much greater problem in society than it’s made out to be. It’s present in every person in various forms, but usually we call it something else.
>I bet everyone is addicted to oxygen, you couldn’t stop if you tried!
62. Stuff that’s on sale usually has an annoying downside.
>Besides clearance stuff I don’t see where you’re coming from.
79. There is no correlation between the price of a brand of batteries and how long they last.
>I’d like to see the study for this, in my personal experience more expensive batteries do last longer.
80. Breaking new ground only takes a tiny amount more effort than you’re used to giving.
> Tell this to all the scientists working on cancer and fusion research.
I have procrastinated enough now, your article just annoyed me by trying to sound profound when it really isn’t. But overall I liked some things.
I get two types of comments on this post: people who spend their time talking about the ones they agree with, and people who spend time talking about the ones they don’t.
Thank you for your time.
And you sir missed the point. If you felt there was nothing useful here why did you spend so much time dissecting it? You’re also a perfect illustration of #16.
There are so many things that nobody special commented on that are ridiculously dissected. Such as inanimate objects hating you back. I think what he is getting at is more along the lines of what happens you get frustrated with something/don’t keep your patience with an object. Have you ever gotten impatient with a mouse/computer and when it freezes up you continue to click? Well it only making things worse.. in turn you could say that the machine hates you back. You are such an ignorant person who instead of reading this post and taking it in had to criticize almost everything that was said. I can just see already that you’re one of those miserable people out there that thinks they know everything.
I know this is outdated but you spent way too much time TRYING to find how these things are wrong. I.E. The diamonds one was meant to say it’s rare… it just sounded better than saying something else that may be rarer than diamonds. Then you apply the new ground one to scientists, when it was specifically meant for everyday living. These things are general living that can help someone. You tried to exaggerate ALL of them to unrelated topics to which they don’t apply.
Btw, as for “13. If you never doubt your beliefs, then you’re wrong a lot.
>I like this one, I wish more religious people heard of it.”… I have a great feeling that while you “believe” in it, you don’t actually apply it. It’s okay.. I think quite a few of us went through that stage. When you start getting hormones and a lot of free time, you aren’t aware of what they’re causing. You’ll learn how to control them once you become aware of them and possibly soon.
Walter, this list never hurt anyone. In fact, this post has done more good than had he never posted at all. Was the name calling necessary? Does it make you feel better? Have you ever been called an idiot? Try putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.
Walter, try to be more compassionate with yourself. You might find that you look at your objections from a different perspective.
Great list. #1 is definitely a biggie… stop trying to change other people.
.-= Nea ´s last blog ..Snapping Out of the Bad Mood Blues =-.
I was with you just fine until #29: “A person who is unafraid to present an unedited version of herself to the world is as rare as diamonds.” Do you always refer to yourself with a feminine pronoun, or are you just trying to prove that you’re Oh, soooo PC that you use the feminine pronoun as the universal? I find PC speech so banal and pseudo-intellectual. Yawn!
Why is it PC just because it’s the female pronoun? “He” is just as inaccurate as “she.” There are two possibilities, so I just picked one. So sorry to upset you.
haha, i like the last one cause i read this article to kill time.. haha
Haha!
So glad you directed me to this page, I love the way the list uplifts and am inspired to create my own~ thank you.
1. You can’t change other people, and it’s rude to try.
I have a Japanese housemate who makes up words and meanings when I ask how to say something in Japanese, sometimes he will make up an event happening in the city~ so basically our conversations are not real. I’ve realised that he prefers to “chew”, he is concerned with being “strong”.
I am accepting this~ and block with the Japanese I’ve looked up on the internet~ peace, joy and cheekiness. He gets more defensive.
I accept he does not want to connect, I accept this is who he wants to be and how he wants to see me as a person (as a “child”)~ I don’t have much to say to him anymore, besides, peace, joy and cheekiness :-)
This was a great read.
Just before leaving the office, I thought it would be fun to print it out. I highlighted what I think I could do better.
The pages are so very shiny and yellow. I think I was lenient. And I’m still in the office typing this. :)
.-= Ruxandra´s last blog ..Borrowed Congeniality =-.
Hi, I am glad i stumbled on to this article. Many of these are very universal and really, very true. The more I see people, the more I understand that. And yes, comments are going to be on specific points. :)
I do have a question though. What do you call the feeling you get when you see injustice or something really bad happening? Is that anger or something else? I always felt that that anger (or whatever it is called), if understood, can be channeled to do good things. That it is a manifestation of some imbalance that needs to be corrected, either within ourselves or the circumstances we are in. It is when the anger is expressed wrong, uncontrollable or hurts someone, then it becomes a problem. It is a not a weakness if used as a tool for good or change. (I do agree about violence being a sign of weakness though)
Yes, if we lived in an ideal and enlightened world, where all these truths and other truths were understood, accepted and practiced, that feeling would be non existent. Until then, we can’t sit back and watch and expect things to change on their own.
I am just expressing a thought process, please feel free to agree, disagree or correct me, I am always open to change if it’s for good.
You have a great blog, I am happy I found it today, looking forward to more wonderful posts.
Hi Jean,
When I see something unfair or cruel happening, anger is usually my internal reaction, yes. But I don’t trust it to tell me the smart thing to do.
I no longer believe anger is very useful, the great majority of the time. To my mind, anger’s purpose is to get the body ready for a physical confrontation, and that’s it. For most people in civilized societies, physical confrontation is rarely a helpful course of action, and therefore anger only makes a person more likely to create trouble for themselves. It triggers anger in other people and gives them a reason to get violent.
Anger makes us emotional and biased, and unable to empathize or think rationally. It is easy to manipulate angry people, and this human weakness has been abused by dictators, terrorist leaders, lynch mobs, unscrupulous politicians and all other manners of destructive people. It forfeits our higher mental abilities in favor of physical readiness. As far as I’m concerned, the only time anger might not be a weakness is when you are actually in a fight.
As you might gather from reading some of my other articles, I do not trust anger to make things fair or correct injustices, nor do I believe that justice is always possible. Anger makes people feel like their point of view is right, and forget that they may be wrong.
I’m glad you’re liking the blog, thanks so much for your comment. :)
.-= David´s last blog ..David Goes Kiwi is Officially Online =-.
I was going to make a cynical remark about this all being cod psychology and fishy philosophy but I saw item #16 and changed my mind. Good work!
Hehe thanks… this post isn’t any kind of -ology. I should put a “for entertainment only” disclaimer, it seems to upset some people.
Didn’t upset me in the slightest…just made me think. Time to turn down the cynical dial from 11 to maybe 8.5…
.-= David Bradley´s last blog ..Food Chemistry News =-.
Haha, 11…. very Spinal Tap
David,
You will never know how happy I am to have found this list. You’re insights show you are well beyond your years, David. Good for you.
Good for us.
Well thank you David, I’m glad it was meaningful to you. Feel free to share it with people whom you think will enjoy it.
.-= David´s last blog ..The Easiest Way to Suffer =-.
Awesome insight. Definitely printed this out and busted out the highlighter!
.-= Mike aka Find Inspiration´s last blog ..Inspirational Thoughts & Quotes #14 =-.
Hi David,
im a designer in Los Angeles and stumbled upon this forum. i love these quotes and was wondering if you’re interested in chatting with me to produce these quotes on a tshirt. email me sakbounphotography @ gmail.com
These are incredibly true and insightful. Good job with this list. It really made me think about things. I’ll be saving and sharing this with others. Thanks!
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..How To Engage Consumers This Holiday Season =-.
FANTASTIC REALIZATIONS
even though you dont know me I just wanted to congratulate you and thank you. I find your thoughts really valuable.
Those are some awesome truths. I say that because I agreed with everyone and have learned some of those truths many times over.
Truth # 89: If you lie to yourself again and again, you will begin to believe it. (This can work out for you or against you.)
.-= Gerlaine´s last blog ..Gerlaine Talk Refocus… =-.
Can’t disagree with that one!
.-= David´s last blog ..Nature’s Dominant Creature =-.
I couldn’t help but think of this after reading #53.
Hah! Just as I suspected :)
The killing time one got to me… time to get back to work!
Sorry about that :)
.-= David´s last blog ..Nature’s Dominant Creature =-.
This is wonderful.
David,
Great list and I admire your deep experience with life.
I like the points: 9, 11, 18, 22, 47 and 85.
If you combine the first two, it becomes 9/11. And what you wrote in 11 is applicable to 9/11 incident.
I didn’t create this sequence. I just wrote the point numbers that I liked. But later when I pondered, I noticed that what you said in 11th point needs to be conveyed to the Bush administration for 9/11.
.-= Rohit Prakash´s last blog ..What, when and how to read. =-.
I’ve always wanted to write a “100 things I’ve learned” post but can never find 100 things that I’ve learned. Maybe that’s why you did 88?
However I did find 100 things I did in college. That articles was VERY easy to write haha.
.-= Jay Willingham´s last blog ..Best Semester Ever =-.
Hi Jay. I just like the number 88. It’s more memorable than 100, that’s for sure.
.-= David´s last blog ..What Were Your Highlights in 2009? =-.
88 eh? pity you couldn’t have kept going, on and on, discovering and re-discovering yourself, ploughing and re-ploughing the depths of your psyche, forgetting to eat, drink or go to the bathroom, like a filthy oracle, drunk on flattering posts..
so what happens after we’ve applied all of these truths to our day to day lives and we discover that it hasn’t really helped, that we’re still unhappy, that we’re destined to be unhappy, and that no amount of gurgling baby-talk-idioms will help change this? is that when we drink the punch? Is it? cause i’m definitely not thirsty.
Nobody can help you.
Yes. This comment was a standout. Jordan gets an A for sinical creativity at least ! haha. “A filthy oracle , drunk on flattering posts…” There is something equally pretentious and inspiring about these 88 life truths. Definitely torn about it… what else you got David? I can tell you are an insightful, sensitive guy.
Hi Trevor. To this day I’m not sure why everyone takes this post so seriously. It’s meant to make fun of the concept of “truth” — IMHO truth can be reduced to what’s most apparent to a given individual at a given moment. Even I don’t agree with all of these aphorisms. I don’t need to defend them, especially from the millions of faceless, drive-by internet critics like “Jordan.”
Knowing that nobody could possibly agree with all of them I wanted to see who resonated with what, and if people were more interested in criticizing for what they disagree with, or commenting on what they do agree with. The internet gives critical types an easy way to get high by shitting on people they don’t know, and they’re always eager to give themselves away.
No need to be torn. Nobody who is honest with themselves agrees (or disagrees) with everything here. If you want to more about me, look in the archives.
This list is great. Thank you so much for writing it :)
Thanks Jodi.
wow. This is amazing. I could not stop reading your list. I love your blog and will definitely be back here over and over not to mention digging in the archive.
.-= clarity´s last blog ..All Natural Girl =-.
Hi clarity. Yes I always encourage a wander through the archives. Some of those dusty articles haven’t seen the light of day in a long time. This one gets most of the attention. Hope to hear from you again.
Superb. I love these lists. They can turn your day around.
Thanks Bo. Hope the day was good all the way through.
Great list and I’m totally with you on #26! I have always avoided credit cards. Something just never felt right about them to me hahaha
“No one has it all figured out”.
Apparently, you figured that out.
I totally agree with #67. I do a lot of baking and real butter or even whipping cream always makes things taste better. That is why restaurant soups, sauces and desserts taste so good.
you are a great thinker
You can’t change other people, and it’s rude to try. — even if its for the good ? we all want someone to change dont we, resigned to fate as we are
why then, you are doing it for sure. You are making people to appreciate their lives for what it is and change.
Thanks yogi. If anyone reads this and changes, it’s because they suddenly saw something fit to change. I didn’t make them do it. These are just things I’ve learned, people can do with them what they will.
Great list, thanks! My favorite one although it was hard to choose was this one. I believe it was towards the bottom of this list:
“Wishing things were different is a great way to torture yourself.”
So true, people spend so much time in their lives being pessimistic and it is really unfair to themselves and people around them.
Thanks for the great article. Keep them coming!
.-= Jeffrey Morse´s last blog ..500 Lovemaking Tips Book Review =-.
Lot of gems in this article. I think it’s true that there is always someone who is better at something than we are. What can you do about it? Learn from it.
Procrastination will always cause problems later on. Do it now!
Thanks for sharing. I will use some of the advice for my self-esteem building site.
I really enjoyed your list, especially #’s 15 and 50. I really wish more people realized that they do not have all the answers. As far as #50 goes I am very familiar with addiction, I had to battle several of them myself, Thank God I’m just on the other side. Keep up the good work, you definitely get a thumbs up!
.-= MissDee´s last blog ..ABUSE =-.
Opinions are great.
I agree that people think too much. That’s so true. Especially when they have nothing else to do. Thinking is great though, but going through the same problem over and over again it’s not the way to do it.
.-= Clairvoyance tools´s last blog ..CHILDREN’S POETRY ON SELF-ESTEEM =-.
We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. ~Native American Proverb
“All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” – Pablo Picasso
“Only through our connectedness to others can we really know and enhance the self. And only through working on the self can we begin to enhance our connectedness to others.” – Harriet Goldhor Lerner
You know, if ever there was a template for how you should live your life and what you should learn from it, I’d like to point to “IF” by Rudyard Kipling. Initially, it may come across as an inspiring poem, but go slow, go line by line, go word by word and thought by thought and you’ll see how this is more than that, it is a hymn to human character, a prayer on my lips daily. 88 truths reveal much about how life is yet I feel what we need more is an ideal, a detailed ideal…and kipling, in this poem to his son, gives that.
I liked quite a few of these, but 36 (“knowledge is belief, nothing more”) just seems so obviously false that i’m having trouble making sense out of it. Giving an example of a false belief that one could have seems almost trivial.
What is it supposed to mean?
Hi Jake. It’s because what we “know” is only what we’ve come to believe. No matter how much evidence there is for a particular fact, as human individuals we cannot escape our own fallible, subjective viewpoint. To know something is only to be convinced it is true; there is no definitive line between belief and knowledge.
Read How to Be Right All the Time for further explanation. There was also a huge discussion about this in a the comment section of a recent post.
.-= David´s last blog ..Complaining is Only a Symptom — Experiment No. 5 Results =-.
Brilliant! The great 88 could only come from someone whose life is well examined. I am now a fan.
.-= Jeanne Male´s last blog ..Life Equals Risk: Part 1 =-.
Thank you for taking the time to write these, they were a treat to read. Writing down your thoughts and being willing to share them honestly takes longer and requires more energy than people think. I appreciate you investing for you and for us.
#6 is great, #3 has always shown itself in my life, #10 is great, #12 is the cornerstone of my existence, #26 too, #33 is really important to me, I love #56 and #83, #86 is perfect, and so is #87.
Thanks for sharing so much of your life experience.
Wow, all of these are so true! This is an excellent, thought provoking list!
As “Great Truths”, I disagree with a large number of these.
Most of them are okay when you replace words like “all” with “most”, and “always” with “usually”.
Others, however, are just ridiculous hyberbole; here are a few examples, just for fun:
>> 8. If everyone in the TV show you’re watching is good-looking, it’s not worth watching.
I judge whether a TV show is worth watching by how entertaining and/or informative it is. Are you saying you judge a TV show by how good-looking the actors are?
>> 9. Yelling always makes things worse.
Here’s a good example where you might much more effectively have used the word “usually” than “always”.
>>10. Whenever you’re worried about what others will think of you, you’re really just worried about what you’ll think of you.
No, actually these are not the same worries.
>> 36. Knowledge is belief, nothing more.
False. Maybe for you it is. Let me guess, you’re a Christian?
>> 57. There is nothing worse than having no friends.
If this is true for you, it’s certainly not true for everyone.
And anyway, how about having no friends and then getting your arms chopped off? Or even having one really crappy friend and getting your arms and legs chopped off? I’d give away the crappy friend to get my arms and legs back.
>> 58. To write a person off as worthless is an act of great violence.
Actually, no it’s not, unless you actually commit some kind of violence during your act of “writing” the person off.
CAUTION: You may be taking the internet too seriously. Take it for what it is worth to you.
Thanks for your three comments.
CAUTION: You can’t just publish any crap you want and expect everyone to gobble it up like brainless sheep; you have to expect that among the 1% or so of your audience that can actually think for themselves, there will be someone like me who will point out that your Great Truths are nothing more than inane babbling.
Haha, he came back! Bored much?
Link us to your site.
You have become his Sun ~:-)
#76 – I could not agree more. There seems to be a general attitude that some people can heap as much crap on oneself as they please and get away with it “because they’re family”.
IMNSHO, a true friend is a family member. If blood-relations are NOT true friends then they’re not family. Simple as.
.-= Suriel´s last blog ..Return of the Spack! =-.
That’s how I feel about it. Some people definitely don’t agree though ;)
.-= David´s last blog ..Yes, But Does it Work? =-.
That’s hilarious about the Paul dude….being bored. Then again, maybe it’s NOT hilarious: Poor fellow kind of has a sucky life.
I try not to judge. I’ve been needlessly critical too. I suspect he is a teenager and will grow out of it. He’s probably a decent guy, just bored.
.-= David´s last blog ..Insight Is Not Enough =-.
Grow out of what?
David, I have to tell you that i loved this list.
And so you know, i plan to apply your lessons to my life. I’m only a teenager and already i hope my KIDS get to read this!
Thanks a million and
Take care!
Thanks David!
It is really uplifting to find that there are people out there who are constantly questing, questioning, and learning about life. I have been shocked at how willing people are to bury their heads and work very hard not to think. The wisdom you are sharing is a breath of fresh air in this life, and offer you my heartfelt appreciation for sharing what you have learned.
I love this list! And I loved the post about self-love vs. self-comfort. I am aware of the time I waste in front of computer games after work, though the awareness doesn’t usually win over the urge to indulge in that relaxing waste of time. I think I may set my phone alarm this coming monday for just after work. When it goes off, I will remember there is something I was going to do. That something is re-reading the post about self-love, which I believe might just inspire me to make a different choice.
Thanks! Your wisdom is a gem, and this world sorely needs more people like you who are willing to share what they learn!
Nice Post,A lot of great stuff to keep on my mind…
Keep up the great post…
Thank you for the great list! I was not sure of a couple, some I knew well and some I was afraid might be true! May I humbly add one as a cousin to 87? “Life can not be controlled, only managed.
Thank you for a wonderful Blog. I will be returning often to learn more.
That’s a great one. The version I heard is “Life cannot be cured, only managed.”
You should put #88 higher up on the list.
They’re in no particular order.
One guy commented that he laughed when he got to the last one because he read this post to kill time :)
Alrighty… perhaps ^PERHAPS^… some of these things were not to be taken literally…
I keep seeing people disagreeing with the TV show one.. I had no issues at all, but it’s because I think that the thought is more along the lines of “spending your free time looking at pictures of impossibly pretty people will lower your self-esteem”… but I don’t generally watch TV anyway because it’s mindless for me.
I learned the one about being happy with yourself before being happy in a relationship a few years ago. I wasn’t too happy with myself and I allowed myself to be used and cast away a few months later (with a baby!). I was very self-reflective for a long time and eventually came to understand that I need to love myself before I can genuinly love others and expect them to love me back. My life is better for it.
I work in retail for now while taking classes. I hear a lot of casual cussing and can’t help but think that the people who cuss so much and say so little could use some more education. I once dropped an f-bomb in front of my uncle when I was 14, he looked at me and said “Such ugly words should not come from such a pretty mouth”. I’m 21 and rarely cuss.
What I really like though was #10. Things are just plain easier when I stop worrying about what other people will say. So what if my clothing is a little old or worn? It’s how I wear it that matters. Posture DOES make a difference. (I think that was another truth)
When I interview, I know that standing straight, having good eye contact and leaning forward slightly will leave a better impression than slumping in the chair and staring at the floor. Does this mean that I don’t do both? No it doesn’t. If I want the job I have to play the game.
Anyway, I have to sleep, I work nights and this 6am stuff is not my favorite time of day.
Yeah I stand by the TV show one. No good show has only good-looking people in it.
And #10 was a real revelation for me. I have found that there is never a time when I feel like I’m being judged in which I am not actually the one doing the judging.
Thank you for sharing. I applaud you in writing down all those random thoughts other people, including myself, have had but just let pass by.
Hi,
I really like the list generally, quite a lot of good points, but point no. 1 is definitely wrong in a way.
I don’t think it’s bad to change people, if all you’re doing is helping them change themselves in the way that they want to.
It’s obviously bad to change someone, just because you don’t like the way they are, one should just change themselves, but changing others is not necessarily a bad thing at all.
Regards,
Kamil
I would say that helping someone change is not the same as changing someone. They changed themselves. I’m talking about trying to change the qualities that you dislike in others. Everybody has a different take on each of these though.
that’s a really solid list, i like it
Writing down lots of platitudes is easy; remembering and using them all on a daily basis is not.
Definitely.
Hi,
extraordinary list, in above list, at least I am trying to go behind 75%
good post
Niluka
Wow, you have really racked up the comments on this one. Amazing. I guess that’s what you get when you try to distill a lifetime’s contemplation into one post.
People like lists I guess.
Hi David,
People do like lists, but they LOVE great lists! And this is a GREAT list! :D
Some of the points I felt stand on their own. Others I felt deserve a bit more exploration.
For example, #7: We teach children to be dishonest when we set a bad example (i.e. by lying) and by punishing them when they’re honest.
I guess this encourages your readers to think each point through. ;)
Thanks for sharing!
Yea. I sent a prospective guest post to your gmail account. Let me know if you would like it.
Life has taught me many of these lessons, too. Some I certainly needed reminding about (#75), but others I’ll never forget (#11 & 82). I agree with them all. Thank you for such wonderful insight!
Why don’t you add
The only thing that’s certain is uncertainty.
I had trouble with 35 and 36…
Knowledge is a tool. Proof is an understanding, more like a personal belief, rather than a consensus.
Excellent blog. There is so much to learn and so much to share. Please keep up the good work.
Sampath.
Blog: sampathvr.wordpress.com
Hi David,
I usually am one to sit back and observe without adding much, but i had to comment on your blog. Its sophisticated nature is as inspirational as it is thought provoking and I thank you for taking the time to compile it. You have an uncanny ability to rationalize and articulate thoughts that most us have trouble verbalizing. Also, it’s a breathe of fresh air to read all of the positive comments from the readers. Quite a combination of astute contributors.
I won’t leave without contributing myself. The quotes I thought to be most profound are:
1. You can’t change other people, and it’s rude to try.
41. Revenge is for the petty and irresponsible.
47. If you aren’t happy single, you won’t be happy in a relationship.
65. It’s easy to make someone’s day just by being uncommonly pleasant to them.
I’ll leave with a quote of my own that you or anyone may use, tweak. etc
Anyone can tell you anything, but it’s their actions that will always provide you with their true intentions.
Keep up the good work David :)
Reminds me of an Emerson quote: “Who you are speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you say.”
“I try not to judge. I’ve been needlessly critical too. I suspect he is a teenager and will grow out of it. He’s probably a decent guy, just bored.”
I don’t understand this. He didn’t curse and wasn’t even mean to be honest, he just disagreed with you.
Listing this:
“58. To write a person off as worthless is an act of great violence.”
then saying “oh well he’s just a teenager he’ll grow out of his opinion” is hypocritical. While I agree with many of the points, many that he brought up were also valid. I mean the TV rule? An actors attractiveness has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the TV show…implying that a show has to have an ugly person to be good is just as stupid as saying a show has to have attractive people.
Heh. I said that because it reminded me of things I posted on websites as a teenager. Nowhere did I write him off as worthless.
The attractiveness of the cast of a TV show has a lot to do with its quality. When a show’s cast doesn’t entirely consist of people who could be underwear-models, it implies that the creators of the show value a realistic depiction of human beings. The presence of a distracting amount of eye-candy is a dead giveaway that they do not believe the story and its moral will stand on their own. A realistic palette of human shapes and sizes in the cast is an extremely strong indicator that the creators are more interested in making an artistic statement of some kind than in appealing to the broadest audience possible.
Nobody is going to agree with all of these points. I don’t even agree with all of them anymore. It was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek post, but it went viral and I’ve had to answer for these aphorisms ever since from all kinds of people. Clearly these are 88 opinions, and many people will find many of them true in their world.
Truths that resonate with me:
11. You never have to deal with more than one moment at a time.
55. By default, people think far too much.
81. Life is a solo trip, but you’ll have lots of visitors. Some of them are long-term, most aren’t.
#85 is personally my favorite because when i get bored or down on myself, i read a book to get out of my life for a few hours a day. it really does help coping with things. this guy really knows what hes talking about. also the one about one comment can ruin a person for life, that is definetely true, as bad as people want to believe that words dont hurt forever, their like brands that leave scars :/
This is a seriously great list. I was expecting generic cliche’s but there isn’t one on here. Very impressed.
Couldn’t agree more with number 58:
To write a person off as worthless is an act of great violence.
Some really good ones, Some ridiculous ones,
Your hypocrisy shows- who cares if woman/man in positions of power- we need just good moral leaders. I suffer under both at this time! Guess that blame is bad thing is out the window & I think your doing too much #55!
Thanks-good list
Lots of good things in this article. I like spending time with children and with the elderly. Their honesty, innocence and playfulness are couple things we can all learn from. That is why I like #7 probably. Thanks for sharing.
13. If you never doubt your beliefs, then you’re wrong a lot.
36. Knowledge is belief, nothing more.
You seem to have some confusion on what belief and knowledge really are. They’re mutually exclusive.
No, I don’t think so at all.
Knowledge is what we call a belief when we believe there is no doubt. All knowledge exists somewhere on a continuum of certainty, as beliefs are, but most of us won’t call it knowledge until our level of certainty is very high. We have all “known” things that turned out to be incorrect. There may be very good reasons for our certainty (empirical evidence, etc.) but that only means it is that much further down the same continuum than what we normally call “beliefs”. But they are the same thing: convictions to one degree of certainty or another. They are not mutually exclusive.
This was discussed extensively in the comment section of “40 Belief-Shaking Remarks From a Ruthless Non-Conformist.” Lots of great points were made.
https://www.raptitude.com/2010/03/40-belief-shaking-remarks-from-a-ruthless-nonconformist/
People seem to get stuck on #78. I used to think books had to be finished once begun. My uncle was an English professor and was the man who gave me permission to put a book down if I was not getting anything from it. But he also suggested I try picking it up later in life because as we grow older our interests change and life’s experiences change us, so we might find that the book we once found unreadable now gives us invaluable insights. That advice has proven golden to me.
I love this list and am forwarding it to my father who turns 88 this week.
There is always someone who knows something I don´t. Respect people and you gonna get the same respect back to you. Great list. Thanks for sharing.
For myself and relatives of various generations, 82 is just dead wrong.
wow. some of these are so on the money of how people should move forward and how im learning to think. thanks.
Thank you so much for this list.
good stuff.
Great list!
#65 is the best: “It’s easy to make someone’s day just by being uncommonly pleasant to them.”
This is so true! Even a simple smile can go a long way!
#85 is personally my favorite because when i get bored or down on myself, i read a book to get out of my life for a few hours a day. it really does help coping with things. this guy really knows what hes talking about. also the one about one comment can ruin a person for life, that is definetely true, as bad as people want to believe that words dont hurt forever, their like brands that leave scars :/
What a fantastic post! Lots of a-ha moments for me. Thanks very much for sharing your wisdom.
Wow this list is just brilliant, everything is so true!
“7. Children are remarkably honest creatures until we teach them not to be.”
This is the least true thing I’ve ever seen on a list like this. Children are born liars – babies lie as soon as they can cry, studies have shown it. They are in fact remarkably deceitful creatures until we teach them to be honest.
You might be right. If that’s the least true thing you found on that list, then excellent :)
CLEARLY TO ADD the Above post is written by a wise Person :D experienced Life inna common way jus like we all do only the experiences are different can be common in different circumstances
it just said all the 88 life experiences i already experienced by the age of 19 n this year im turnning if i already knw wat life is all about y is it still hard to live ? why is the question always unanswered…
CLEARLY TO ADD the Above post is written by a wise Person :D experienced Life inna common way jus like we all do only the experiences are different can be common in different circumstances
He just said all the 88 life experiences i already experienced by the age of 19 n this year im turnning 20… if i already knw wat life is all about y is it still hard to live and if its easy n am not really getting it .. then .. why ? is the question always unanswered… to every question about life and the answer is definately death
Cant believe I just sat here and read all 80… Fantastic post.
I’d revise number 19.
19. The Bible, God’s Word, alone can teach you everything you need to know about living with grace and happiness.
I used to live by the means of Emmerson’s ideals. Horrible life.
The day I was saved, my life completely turned for the better :D
amen! :)
Hey David.
Found your blog accidentally. You are quite wise.
I wish I had known these at a younger age. 29 now.
79. There is no correlation between the price of a brand of batteries and how long they last. This is so true, I buy cheaper Walgreens brand batteries, and they last the longest time. Great list btw.
This is such a great blog, & it’s so true. If you’re interested, I would love to link you to my website & vise versa. 2147miles.com is all about people fighting for their dreams. Please let me know if you’re interested. Thank you.
Amy
This is great! All of them hit home! Thanks poster!!
Smartest thing I’ve ever read. I don’t know who you are, but you have more sense than all the people I’ve ever met put together.
29. A person who is unafraid to present a candid version of herself to the world is as rare as diamonds.
30. The most common addiction in the world is the draw of comfort. It wrecks dreams and breaks people.
31. If what you’re doing feels perfectly safe, there is probably a better course of action.
These all relate to one another so well as they all relate to comfort. The best situations in life can come from growing a pair and making situations that are totally uncomfortable in order to make situations that have greater risks/rewards. Cheers.
Also #22, any ideas on how we could change that?
I feel that technology could help that situation or make it worse…it’ll probably do a bit of both in terms of risk.
-Matt
I printed this out and I carry them with me everywhere!
39. Self-examination is the only path out of misery.
So true! This is a great find. Thanks for pointing this out.
Cheers!
These are great bits of wisdom! Thank you!!!
number 2 is best!
I love the list… except I have to disagree (for me, anyhow) with number 9.
Sometimes, all I need is a good yell, whether it be in my car, in my room, or outside with nobody around. Sometimes just screaming out gets out a lot of feeling, and then I can be around people again without feeling so angry or upset.
I LOVE 47 though, probably my favorite :)
Personally, I think a few of these are wrong, including #1.
For #63, see this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_osQvkeNRM
“Anger reveals weakness of character”
Just no! Everyone gets angry and anger is healthy! It’s how we deal with our anger that can reveal either strength or weakness of character!
I guess I was referring to the expression of anger towards others. I think it is a myth that anger is healthy. Normal yes, healthy no.
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