Ten Pieces of Advise I Offer My Children Who Wear Noise Cancelling Headphones

I believe it would be reckless to make the same mistake two years in a row. My first post last New Year was overzealous regarding my expectations, and as such, I will not tempt fate to prove me wrong again. Instead I will I ensure hold no culpability in the end result of 2017 by saying I expect a shitty year ahead. 
Since I have no New Year hope to share, I will instead offer you ten pieces of advise I offer my own children who wear noise cancelling headphones:

1. Don’t repeat mistakes. The only way to avoid this is to own your mistakes so you can learn from them.
2. Work hard now—not when you feel like it, or after the next point in the game, or if somebody helps you, or when your third cousin’s uncle dies and leaves you money…work hard for what you want now, and keep working hard for what you want, because the world is full of people who work hard, and the world is full of people who procrastinate and make excuses- and they are not the same people.
3. Know that the world owes you nothing.
4. Don’t feel sorry for yourself; it is an excuse not to try.
5. Don’t be a doormat.
6. Know the difference between what you can control, and what you can’t control- let go of the second, and don’t get crazy about the first.
7. Be happy when your friends succeed. Their success does not take away from your potential.
8. Don’t give up.
9. Look people in the eye.
10. Be kind.

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January 1, 2017