Selected words of wisdom from 'Life's Little Instruction Book I, II, III' by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

I have a habit of sharing quotes and messages with others and decided to share a list of fifty selected quotes or instructions from a series of books by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

This is a different post than my normal posts but I sincerely believe that if the advice below were to be heeded then the the corporate world would be a much better place!

1. A racehorse that consistently runs just a second faster than another horse is worth millions of dollars more. Be willing to give that extra effort that separates the winner from the one in second place 
2. Accept the fact that regardless of how many times you are right, you will sometimes be wrong 
3. Admit your mistakes 
4. Be a leader: Remember the lead sled dog is the only one with a decent view 
5. Be an original. If that means being a little eccentric, so be it 
6. Be brave. Even if you’re not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference 
7. Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong 
8. Be grateful that God doesn't answer all your prayers 
9. Be willing to lose a battle in order to win the war 
10. Bestow a favour and then forget it 
11. Commit yourself to constant improvement 
12. Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is 
13. Don’t burn bridges. You’ll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river 
14. Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Helen Keller, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein 
15. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Learn to say no politely and quickly 
16. Don’t use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved 
17. Don’t waste time grieving over past mistakes. Learn from them and move on 
18. Don't allow self-pity. The moment this emotion strikes, do something nice for someone less fortunate than you 
19. Don't be rushed into making an important decision. People will understand if you say, "I'd like a little more time to think it over. Can I get back to you tomorrow?" 
20. Don't do anything that wouldn't make your Mom proud 
21. Don't expect life to be fair 
22. Don't waste time learning the "tricks of the trade." Instead, learn the trade. 
23. Every once in a while ask yourself the question, “If money weren't a consideration, what would I like to be doing?” 
24. Every person that you meet knows something you don't; learn from them 
25. Get your priorities straight. No one ever said on his death bed, ‘Gee, if I’d only spent more time at the office’ 
26. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully 
27. Just because you earn a decent wage, don't look down on those who don't. To put things in perspective, consider what would happen to the public good if you didn't do your job for 30 days. Next, consider the consequences if sanitation workers didn't do their jobs for 30 days. Now, whose job is more important? 
28. Laugh a lot. A good sense of humour cures almost all of life's ills 
29. Learn to disagree without being disagreeable 
30. Learn to listen. Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly 
31. Leave everything a little better than you found it 
32. Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you 
33. Never remind someone of a kindness or act of generosity you have shown him or her 
34. Never underestimate the power of words to heal and reconcile relationships 
35. Never underestimate your power to change yourself. Remember that overnight success usually takes about fifteen years 
36. Practice empathy. Try to see things from other people's points of view 
37. Remember that 80% of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people 
38. Remember that all important truths are simple 
39. Remember, it's not your job to get people to like you, it's your job to like people 
40. Seek opportunity, not security. A boat in harbour is safe, but in time its bottom will rot out 
41. Share the credit 
42. Success is getting what you want. Happiness is liking what you get 
43. Take care of your reputation. It's your most valuable asset 
44. The importance of winning is not what we get from it, but what we become because of it 
45. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated 
46. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect 
47. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect 
48. Watch for big problems. They disguise big opportunities 
49. Worry about the consequences of the choices you make before you make them - not afterwards 
50. Your mind can only hold one thought at a time. Make it a positive and constructive one.

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