100 Rules To Live By - advice for my children

Maybe it's because I have baby #4 on the way, but I've been jotting down nuggets for my children.

1. God, Family, Self, Work – in that order.

2. Meditate on the Bible…every day. 

3. Pray every day…and listen for God to speak back.

4. First 10% to God, second 10% to self.

5. Get down on your knees and pray, then get up on your feet and work.

6. Have faith.

7. Don’t give up on what you want. God has placed those desires in your heart.

8. Always do what you say.

9. Always tell the truth.

10. Stand up for what’s right even if you have to stand alone.

11. Do what’s right even when no one is watching.

12. Be proud of who you are.

13. Stay humble but know your worth.

14. Be generous. Give freely.

15. Always carry cash.

16. Obey your parents.

17. Take responsibility for your actions.

18. Listen more than you talk—you already know what you know so learn from others.

19. Listen to understand, not just to respond.

20. Don’t complain.

21. Be a doer. Take massive action—eat your "frog" every day.

22. Always be a newbie at something; always be learning.

23. When you fail, fail forward.

24. Seek to be useful…add value to everything that you do.

25. Habits maketh the man…who you are today is a result of yesterday’s habits.

26. Excellence is a way of life not a one-time event. It is a habit.

27. How you do anything is how you do everything.

28. Be nice…until it's time not to be.

29. Don’t love drama or be an instigator. Mind your own business and be a peacemaker.

30. Be a good listener. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

31. Choose your friends wisely. You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

32. Comparison is the thief of joy.

33. It’s ok to ask for help.

34. Apologize when you’re wrong and forgive when others are.

35. Smile often.

36. Dream big.

37. Learn to laugh at yourself.

38. Be loyal to those who matter…but know when to walk away.

39. Pay for parking.

40. Don’t try to please everyone. Not everyone will like you…but not everyone matters.

41. Early to bed early to rise. The morning is your most productive time—take advantage of it.

42. Put first things first.

43. If it's important put it in writing.

44. Leave it better than you found it.

45. No phones at the dinner table.

46. Most people get ahead during the time that others waste. Don’t waste a single day (every one is a gift).

47. Either you run the day or the day runs you.

48. The best way to predict the future is to create it.

49. It takes as much energy to wish as to plan.

50. If you take care of the minutes, the years will take care of themselves.

52. Be bold. Go after what you want.

53. Do things that scare you…and at least one thing you don’t like (everyday).

54. Build a life you don’t want to retire from. Don’t wait to enjoy life.

55. Don’t save it for a special occasion—wear it, do it, eat it now.

56. Invest in experiences, not just things.

57. Travel—seeing the world keeps you curious and humble.

58. Be present—be where your feet are.

59. Be content but not satisfied.

60. You don’t always have to get your way. It's better to be at peace than to be right. Don’t correct others unless they are your children or employees.

61. Fire bullets then cannonballs.

62. Be patient; good things take time.

63. If your big goal doesn’t scare you a little and excite you a lot, it’s not big enough.

66. Take care of your body…it’s the only one you have.

67. Eat right and drink plenty of water.

68. Wear sunscreen.

69. Moisturize daily.

70. Sleep 7+ hours each night.

71. Always go to the bathroom before a long trip.

72. Don’t sweat the small stuff…and it’s all small stuff.

73. Learn to let go of what you can’t control.

74. Life’s too short to spend with people who make you miserable.

76. Find a mentor or coach and listen to instruction. Be teachable.

77. Your competition isn’t others—it’s you from yesterday. Get better every day. Aim for 1% better every day.

78. You can’t help people who need your help—you can only help people who want your help.

79. Your ability to do awesome things is proportional to your willingness to be criticized by people who don't understand them.

82. Don’t worry about what others think of you. At 20 you'll care what others think; by 40 you’ll stop caring; by 60 you’ll realize no one was thinking about you anyway.

83. The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there.

84. To know and not to do is really not to know.

85. Whether you think you can or think you can’t—you’re right.

86. In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.

87. The unexamined life is not worth living.

88. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.

89. Whatever you become, be a good one.

90. Learn from others’ mistakes.

91. A person who feels appreciated will always do more than expected.

92. You can have results or excuses, but not both.

93. Everyone must choose one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. Choose wisely.

94. It’s ok to change your mind.

95. "No" is a complete sentence. Get comfortable using it often.

96. Learn to enjoy the journey, not just the destination.

97. There is more to life than simply increasing its speed.

98. You can get everything you want if you just help enough people get what they want.

99. Have difficult conversations early and often.

100. Work hard, play hard. Take at least one vacation per quarter.

101. Take care of your family.

102. NEVER have self-pity.

103. Always have something to look forward to.

104. Order whatever you like, but eat what you are given.

105. Be curious, not judgmental.

106. Learn to throw a ball, shoot a gun, and drive a stick-shift.

107. Say “please” and “thank you.”

108. Embrace change, it’s a part of life.

109. Hard times don’t last; hard men do.

110. Give more than you take.

111. It’s not hard to make decisions once you know what your values are.