What I’ve Learned

By Scott Westerman
Listen to an audio version of this message.

“Carpe Diem!”

This will be my 327th Monday Motivator. And at long last, I’m closing the book.

Our weekly visits have been an often enlightening exercise in self discovery. I’ve enjoyed the discipline of studying life’s ups and downs and finding a deeper understanding the habits of happiness. It has stretched my mind, helped me over some of the bumps along the way and crystallized, for me at least, what’s important, and what’s not.

Before signing off, I wanted to share a few of the things I’ve learned.

• Life is short, work to discover your purpose and live it.
• Find the intersection between passion and capability and make it a profession.
• Start from the premise that all your dreams can come true. Work backwards from there.
• We become what we think about. So when you think, watch your language.
• We become who we hang with, so hang with people who inspire and encourage you.
• Pain becomes suffering if you don’t allow yourself to fully feel it.
• Attachment is the root of all suffering. Some attachment is inevitable. Be prepared to suffer a little.
• Take care of your body. You’ll get to keep it longer.
• Listen more than you talk.
• Power and authority should inspire you to higher standards of behavior.
• Prioritize people who care. In the end, they will be the only ones there.
• Systematically banish negativity and energy suckers from your life.
• Some days will be bad days. Face up to your unpleasant current realities. But never lose faith in the ultimate outcome.
• Some days will be good days. Be grateful for them and remember that all glory is fleeting.
• Luck is where preparedness meets opportunity. Be prepared.
• Fail forward. We learn more when things go wrong than when things go right.
• Lessons are repeated until learned.
• Work a little harder then you have to. There is very little competition on the extra mile.
• Learn what nourishes your mind, body and spirit. Create a balanced environment that strengthens them all.
• Dress a little better, act a little more professional, and be a little kinder than those who surround you.
• Doing what you think is right will make some people mad. Do right anyway.
• The brightest people have a dark side. The darkest people have a bright side.
• Behavior isn’t always driven by what you see. Seek to understand root causes.
• Treat others as you would want to be treated, whether or not they reciprocate.
• As Dr. Seuss says, “People who mind don’t matter. People who matter don’t mind.”
• Never allow others to define you. Being yourself will attract friends and enemies. You can learn from both.
• Change the changeable. Accept the unchangeable. Remove yourself from the unacceptable.
• Some people just don’t get it. Let them go.
• Hatred can only diminish the hater. Intransigence ultimately hurts the intransigent.
• Champion a few lost causes.
• Some problems won’t get solved in your lifetime. Contribute to their solutions anyway.
• Plan for the future but live in the moment. You can only influence the present.
• Never stop learning. If you do, the world will pass you by.
• Love deeply. Laugh loud and often. Cry whenever you need to.
• The highest form of wisdom is kindness. Be kind.
• Leave the world better than you found it.
• Take time to enjoy the view.

I hope that our time together has been as fun for you as it has for me. Thanks for coming along for the ride. Now you’ve heard it. Go out and do it!