I saw a story today that seemed like it would be a good idea for those of us older folks to do as a benefit to generations of people who follow us.
Titled “103 bits of advice I wish I had known,” the author laid out a lifetime of wisdom and lessons learned. What a neat legacy to leave for others to benefit from his lifetime of learning!
“Today is my birthday. I turn 70. I’ve learned a few things so far that might be helpful to others,” he wrote. “For the past few years, I’ve jotted down bits of unsolicited advice each year and much to my surprise I have more to add this year. So here is my birthday gift to you all: 103 bits of wisdom I wish I had known when I was young.”
Here are a few of my favorites:
- Cultivate 12 people who love you, because they are worth more than 12 million people who like you.
- Life lessons will be presented to you in the order they are needed. Everything you need to master the lesson is within you. Once you have truly learned a lesson, you will be presented with the next one. If you are alive, that means you still have lessons to learn.
- Immediately pay what you owe to vendors, workers, contractors. They will go out of their way to work with you first next time.
- When you have some success, the feeling of being an imposter can be real. Who am I fooling? But when you create things that only you — with your unique talents and experience — can do, then you are absolutely not an imposter. You are the ordained. It is your duty to work on things that only you can do.
- Getting cheated occasionally is the small price for trusting the best of everyone, because when you trust the best in others, they generally treat you best.
- For the best results with your children, spend only half the money you think you should, but double the time with them.
- Backups are cheap compared to regrets.
- Don’t bother fighting the old; just build the new.
- Aim to die broke. Give to your beneficiaries before you die; it’s more fun and useful. Spend it all. Your last check should go to the funeral home and it should bounce.
What are your favorites? Share them on the Forward From 50 Facebook group.
The full list is available at The Technium, along with a few previous year’s lists.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.