Forty-Seven Things

I begin my 48th trip around the sun today, so here is a non-exhaustive list of 47 things I’ve learned during those 47 orbits.

  1. Static made old radio.
  2. Be here now. This moment is the only one you can truly inhabit.
  3. Put the phone down. The best conversations happen face-to-face.
  4. Quality over quantity, always. Fewer, better things make life richer.
  5. Your body knows more than any smartwatch can. Listen to it.
  6. Progress isn’t always about moving faster or going farther.
  7. Sometimes the best way to move forward is to leave things behind.
  8. Eat as low to the ground as you can.
  9. Pizza and bagels are just better in New York.
  10. Never drink so much at night that you ruin the whole next day.
  11. People matter more than protocols, and protocols matter more than platforms.
  12. Relationships require effort.
  13. If the music is too loud, you’re too old.
  14. You should not enjoy the music your kids listen to.
  15. Seek out conversations with the elderly. Their perspective will educate you.
  16. Seek out conversations with children. Their perspective will energize you.
  17. Read books. Real ones. Feel the pages. Breathe in the binding.
  18. Depth almost always beats breadth.
  19. Chaos is constant. Exploit it.
  20. Living well is about progression, not perfection.
  21. Everything fades.
  22. Grief doesn’t last forever. It dulls over time.
  23. There is a difference between pain and discomfort. Learn to deal with each uniquely.
  24. Pain caves are mental constructs. You can choose to leave them.
  25. Small, consistent choices add up to big changes over time.
  26. Running can be meditation in motion.
  27. It’s OK to be bored. Let your mind wander. It may lead to something creative.
  28. Spend at least one hour a day outside.
  29. There is no such thing as bad weather.
  30. Get sunlight into your eyes as quick as you can in the morning.
  31. Avoid productivity as performance.
  32. Take notes, but don’t document everything.
  33. Take photos, but not selfies.
  34. Use the appropriate tool for the job.
  35. Outcomes over outputs.
  36. Don’t just do a thing. Do the right thing.
  37. Technical debates often obscure the more important human questions.
  38. Own your content. Put it on your own domain. Leave a digital legacy.
  39. A good leader doesn’t create followers. A good leader creates more leaders.
  40. Embrace both/and thinking instead of either/or battles.
  41. You are not your profession. Work is a means to an end, not an identity.
  42. Rise early. Get an edge.
  43. Check in on the news once, maybe twice, per day. Any more than that is not helpful.
  44. Attention is your most valuable currency.
  45. Tip well.
  46. Listening is vastly more important than speaking.
  47. Learn to be comfortable in silence and solitude.