mind.body.soul

201. Don’t carry a grudge.

202. Show respect for all living things.

203. Return borrowed vehicles with the gas tank full.

204. Choose work that is in harmony with your values.

205. Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.

206. Give your best to your employer. It’s one of the best investments you can make.

207. Set short-term and long-term goals.

208. Attend high school art shows, and always buy something.

209. Observe the speed limit.

210. Commit yourself to constant self-improvement.

211. Take your dog to obedience school. You’ll both learn a lot.

212. Don’t allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It’s there for your convenience, not the caller’s.

213. Don’t waste time grieving over past mistakes. Learn from them and move on.

214. When complimented, a sincere “thank you” is the only response required.

215. Don’t plan a long evening on a blind date. A lunch date is perfect. If things don’t work out, both of you have only wasted an hour.

216. Don’t discuss business in elevators. You never know who may overhear you.

217. Be a good loser.

218. Be a good winner.

219. Never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry. You’ll buy too much.

220. Spend less time worrying who’s right, and more time deciding what’s right.

221. Don’t major in minor things.

222. Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.

223. Praise in public.

224. Criticize in private.

225. Never tell anyone they look tired or depressed.

226. When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.

227. Resist giving advice concerning matrimony, finances, or hair styles.

228. Have impeccable manners.

229. Never pay for work before it’s completed.

230. Keep good company.

231. Keep a daily journal.

232. Keep your promises.

233. Avoid any church that doesn’t have cushions on the pews and is considering building a gymnasium.

234. Teach your children the value of money and the importance of saving.

235. Be willing to lose a battle in order to win the war.

236. Don’t be deceived by first impressions.

237. Seek out the good in people.

238. Never discuss money with people who have much more or much less than you.

239. Never buy something you don’t need just because it’s on sale.

240. Drink eight glasses of water every day.

241. Respect tradition.

242. Be cautious about lending money to friends. You might lose both.

243. Never waste an opportunity to tell good employees how much they mean to the company.

244. Buy a bird feeder and hang it so that you can see it from your kitchen window.

245. Never cut what can be untied.

246. Wave at children on school buses.

247. Tape record your parents’ memories of how they met and their first years of marriage.

248. Show respect for others’ time. Call whenever you’re going to be more than ten

minutes late for an appointment.

249. Hire people smarter than you.

250. Learn to show cheerfulness, even when you don’t feel like it.

251. Learn to show enthusiasm, even when you don’t feel like it.

252. Take good care of those you love.

253. Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.

254. Keep it simple.

255. Purchase gas from the neighborhood gas station even if it costs more. Next winter when it’s six degrees and your car won’t start, you’ll be glad they know you.

256. Don’t jaywalk.

257. Never ask a lawyer or accountant for business advice. They are trained to find problems, not solutions.

258. When meeting someone for the first time, resist asking what they do for a living. Enjoy their company without attaching any labels.

259. Avoid like the plague any lawsuit.

260. Every day show your family how much you love them with your words, with your touch, and with your thoughtfulness.

261. Take family vacations whether you can afford them or not. The memories will be priceless.

262. Don’t gossip.

263. Don’t discuss salaries.

264. Don’t nag.

265. Don’t gamble.

266. Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.

267. Lie on your back and look at the stars.

268. Don’t leave car keys in the ignition.

269. Don’t whine.

270. Arrive at work early and stay beyond quitting time.

271. When facing a difficult task, act as though it is impossible to fail. If you’re going after Moby Dick, take along the tartar sauce.

272. Change air conditioner filters every three months.

273. Remember that overnight success usually takes about fifteen years.

274. Leave everything a little better than you found it.

275. Cut out complimentary newspaper articles about people you know and mail the articles to them with notes of congratulations.

276. Patronize local merchants even if it costs a bit more.

277. Fill your gas tank when it falls below one-quarter full.

278. Don’t expect money to bring you happiness.

279. Never snap your fingers to get someone’s attention. It’s rude.

280. No matter how dire the situation, keep your cool.

281. When paying cash, ask for a discount.

282. Find a good tailor.

283. Don’t use a toothpick in public.

284. Never underestimate your power to change yourself.

285. Never overestimate your power to change others.

286. Practice empathy. Try to see things from other people’s points of view.

287. Promise big. Deliver big.

288. Discipline yourself to save money. It’s essential to success.

289. Get and stay in shape.

290. Find some other way of proving your manhood than by shooting defenseless animals and birds.

291. Remember the deal’s not done until the check has cleared the bank.

292. Don’t burn bridges. You’ll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.

293. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Learn to say no politely and quickly.

294. Keep overhead low.

295. Keep expectations high.

296. Accept pain and disappointment as part of life.

297. Remember that a successful marriage depends on two things: (1) finding the right person and (2) being the right person.

298. See problems as opportunities for growth and self-mastery.

299. Don’t believe people when they ask you to be honest with them.

300. Don’t expect life to be fair.