Lessons Learned From The Book Life Is Short Inspirational Reading Share

 Lessons Learned From The Book Life Is Short Inspirational Reading Share

1. Life is short. If you work hard and are lucky, you can get more of almost anything, but you can’t get more time. Time only goes one way. The average American has a lifespan of less than 30,000 days. So how you choose to live matters.

2. A better approach is to decide what you want to do and what is most important. Make lists. Then use technology to assist you versus allowing it to control you. Executing this concept requires discipline and practice, but anyone can get better at it and make real progress if they want to.

3. Worrying wastes energy and time; it limits what you can accomplish. I try not to obsess over the past but to learn from it. I try not to worry about the future but to prepare for it. And while it’s difficult sometimes, I try to take pleasure in the moment, even when bad things happen.

4. When you make mistakes along the way, as I have at many points in my life, accept them. Learn from them and move on.

5. The biggest mistake men make when they think about getting married is they assume women won’t change; the biggest mistake women make is they assume they can change men.

6. Character is one of the most important things in life. Reputations can be manipulated quickly, but people tend to get the reputations they deserve over time. Reputations are your personal brand. They influence how well you do in your professional and personal lives.

7. Stay active. People are like sharks: we'll die if we don’t move constantly. This is true both literally and metaphorically. For example, some evidence suggests that older people who keep their minds active have a much lower chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease. People who ’retire’ and mostly eat and lie on the couch aren’t likely to live very long -- or be very happy.

8. Almost anyone can be a father or a mother, but being a good parent takes hard work, focus, and great care. Despite the obvious sacrifices of time and resources, being a parent has been the most satisfying and enriching experience I’ve ever had. Most parents I know would say similar things.

9. When you’re in your 80s and looking back on your life, I have little doubt you’ll feel better if you have chosen to give something back. Our time on earth is limited, but you can extend your influence by helping those who will outlive you.

10. Freud said: “Love and work are the cornerstones of our humanness.” While it may sound simple, if you have close friendships and love your work, the odds are quite high that you’ll be happy most of the time.