How to be happy? That's the big question, isn't it? September is approaching faster than we’d like it to (it always is, regardless of when and where you’re reading this). It is a time of new beginnings for millions of youths in the world, who often need guidance. It should also be a time of introspection for those of us in the workforce. To help the process, I have written, in no particular order, 100 pieces of advice on how to best get through the year as a happy, well-balanced human being. God knows we need those.
Be on time
Keep your word
Buy the orange properties in Monopoly
If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room
All dogs are the best dog in the world. Pet that dog. Go on
When someone tells you you’ve hurt them, you don’t get to decide that you didn’t
Thank the cook before Instagramming the food
When it comes to investing, boring is sexy
A gun is always loaded
You don’t buy beer, you rent it
Always sit at the bar. Being on a first name basis with a good bartender is one of life’s rare pleasures
Money won’t make you happy. But it’s more fun to cry in a Tesla than on bike
Return to the mean is the second strongest force in the universe after compounding
Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Abraham Lincoln said that
Never gloat. Pride is not the antidote to shame, but its source
Invest in great luggage
Confidence is quiet. Insecurities are loud
Don’t worry too much about controlling your emotions. Control your actions instead
Invest early in love, money, friendship… and trust in compounding. Nothing changes day by day, but when we look back everything is different
If you offer to help don’t quit until the job is done
Be a good listener. Don’t just take your turn to talk
Principles only mean something if you stick by them when they’re inconvenient
When you do something right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all
Don’t set yourself on fire to keep others warm
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should
Don’t underestimate the role of luck in life. Not all success is due to hard work, and not all poverty is due to laziness.
Don’t fill up on bread, no matter how good
Giving money is good. Giving time is often better
Nobody is ever against you. Nobody will ever care enough about you to be against you. It’s an incredibly liberating realisation
Sympathy is a crutch. Never fake a limp
It’s okay to go to the movies by yourself
Forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness but because you deserve peace
Remember that owning a house and having a home are often two very different things
You only get one chance to notice a new haircut
Never call someone before or after 9am and 9pm (exceptions may apply)
Be decisive. Right or wrong, make a decision. The roads of life is paved with flat squirrels that couldn’t make a decision.
There are plenty of ways to enter a pool. The stairs are not one of them
Thank the bus driver
Know at least one good joke
Don’t linger in the doorway. In or out
A handshake beats an autograph
Forgive yourself for your mistakes
Be mindful of what comes between you and the Earth. Always buy good shoes, tires and sheets
If you don’t do anything to stop a mistake from happening again, you can’t keep calling it a mistake
Physical and mental health are both equally important
Don’t eat lunch alone or at your desk if you can avoid it
Don’t judge too quickly: we have a tendency to want the other person to be a finished product while we give ourselves the grace to evolve.
Know the size of your partner’s clothes
You are what you do. Not what you say
In order to get something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done
Some occasions call for vodka. Others for tea. Know the difference
Don’t boo at sporting events
Don’t be the talker in a movie
Make goals for the next 18 months AND for the next 10 years
Don’t follow your dream: people who say that are already rich
You’re never too old to need your Mom
Costs and risks are both financial and emotional. The weight of both depends solely on you
Look people in the eye when toasting
Know how to cook at least one good meal and how to prepare at least one good cocktail
If you’ve made your point, stop talking
Get up. Dress up. Show up. That’s always a good start
When giving a thank you speech, short and sweet is best
Try to get rejected at least once a day. You’ll never believe all the cool places you’ll end up getting into
If you’re lonely when you’re alone, you’re in bad company. You have to like yourself for others to like you
Hope for the best. Plan for the worse
Try most things once, but not everything
Humility, graciousness, intelligence, and empathy tend to generate more respect than bottle service at the club
The work in every relationship should be split 60/40, with both people trying to be the one giving 60%
When opening presents, no one likes a good guesser.
The best way to show thanks is to wear it. Even if it’s only once
Never get your haircut the day of a special event
Every lie you tell is a lie you have to keep track of
The first step towards true greatness is wearing clean underwear
When you marry someone, remember you marry their entire family
Under no circumstances should you ever ask a woman if she is pregnant
You make choices, and your choices make you. It goes both ways
You only improve when you’re up against someone who’s better than you
Make time for your mother on your birthday. It’s a special day for her too
Sometimes, the best way to solve your own problems is to help someone else
Always thank the host
Never lie to your doctor
Give credit. Take blame
Admit when you’re wrong
Know how to keep secrets
Time spent with grandparents is time well spent
It’s never too late for an apology
Don’t use your safety net as a hammock
Be slow to anger and quick to forgiveness
Never answer the phone at the dinner table
If you’re staying more than one night, unpack
If you don’t understand, ask before it’s too late
Know how to use Excel at least as well as your boss
Be nice to kids. Reputations are built over a lifetime
When life gives you lemon, don’t just make lemonade. Sell it, too
You won’t always be the strongest or fastest. But you can be the hardest working
Your dance moves might not be the best, but I promise making a fool of yourself is more fun than sitting on the bench alone.
The most important decision in your life is picking the mother/father of your children. Compatibility, shared values, friendship, trust, responsibility, character, etc. matter at least as much as love
Vote
. If you like something, say so. It will make someone’s day
