Wisdom From The Ages
	by Bart Smith, TheMarketingMan.com & Founder of MyTrainingCenter.com, MyMarketingCart.com, MyPaymentServices.com & MyFulfillmentServices.com

1. Do it right the first time.

2. Do the right thing, regardless of what others say, think or even do.

3. Be modest, a lot was accomplished before you were born.

4. Faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see.

5. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions and things, but on relationships and memories.

6. Try to waste as little of life as you can, before you figure out what is really important (to you).

7. Acquire things the old fashioned way; save your money and pay cash for them.

8. Pray not for things, but for wisdom and courage.

9. Don’t use time or words carelessly, they can never be retrieved.

10. Imitate the successes of the wise and not the mistakes of fools.

11. Carve out an hour a day for solitude.

12. He who hesitates is sometimes saved.

13. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Learn to say “no” politely and quickly.

14. Know where all the exits are.

15. Every minute you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness.

16. Do more than expected, in everything you do.

17. If you aim at nothing, and you’ll surely hit just that.

18. Don’t wait until it rains to fix your roof.

19. Be insatiably curious. Ask “why” a lot.

20. Never remind someone of a kindness or act of generosity you have shown him or her. Bestow a favor and then forget it.

21. Don’t postpone joy or happiness.

22. Set aside one day a week for rest and renewal.

23. Stop trying to please everybody. Start pleasing yourself.

24. It is not enough for a man to know how to ride; he must also know how to fall.

25. Know what truly makes you happy and go for it.

26. Never do evil, hoping good will come from it.

27. Encourage your children to get a part-time jobs at age 16.

28. Laughing at your own jokes makes them funny to at least one person.

29. You know more than you think you know.

30. Write “Thank You” notes promptly.

31. Give people a second chance.

32. Don’t bother wasting time learning the “tricks of the trade”; instead, learn the trade.

33. Have good posture – sitting as well as standing. Enter a room with tall confidence and purpose.

34. Keep a daily journal.

35. Read the Bill of Rights (in this book).

36. You do not always have to qualify playtime.

37. Any jackass can kick a barn door down, but it takes a carpenter to build one.

38. When facing a difficult time or task, act as if it were impossible to fail.

39. Always carry something interesting to read. (Like this book!)

40. Cultivate gratitude and gratefulness.

41. Evaluate yourself by your own standards. It never works when you compare yourself to others.

42. Be a self-starter.

43. Give yourself a year to read the bible, cover to cover. Highlight sections that jump out at you.

44. If you have to whisper it, it’s probably better not say it.

45. Don’t get off the ladder before you reach the ground.

46. Never invest more than you can afford to lose.

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

48. There are three kinds of people: those with wish bones, funny bones and those with back bones!

49. Get romantic with your spouse or the one you’re dating at least once a week!

50. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.

51. Keep your broken arm inside your sleeve.

52. Deal with the way things are; not the way you’d like them to be.

53. The arrow that leaves the bow cannot come back. Once you open your mouth, make sure your words are pure, positive and uplifting.

54. Exchange security for serenity.

55. Show respect for other’s time. Call if you’re going to be late for an appointment.

56. Sometimes being strong means asking for help.

57. Smile a lot. It spreads joy to others freely.

58. When you call someone unexpected, ask, “Is this a good time to talk?”

59. Have impeccable manners.

60. Rekindle an old friendship.

61. Avoid sarcastic remarks.

62. If something is worth having, it is worth waiting for.

63. Don’t rain on other people’s parade.

64. Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.

65. Chop your own wood; it will keep you warm twice.

66. The crisis of today is usually the joke of tomorrow.

67. The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse always gets the cheese.

68. If you don’t love it, live without it.

69. Never take action when you’re angry.

70. Pay your fair share.

71. A great desert can wipe away the memory of a bad meal.

72. Never deprive someone of hope; it may be all they have.

73. Don’t quit a job, until you’ve lined up another.

74. Trust in God, but lock your car.

75. Let Mother Nature nurture.

76. Show respect for anyone who works. No matter how trivial their job seems.

77. A wise person knows when a short cut is really a short cut.

78. Look both ways before crossing. Look before you leap.

79. Go to bed at 9 o’clock twice at least twice a week.

80. Begin your day with either a prayer of blessings.

81. Attend class reunions.

82. Lend only those books you care never to see again.

83. Do not expect children to listen to your advice and ignore your examples.

84. Don’t bore people with your problems. When someone asks you how you feel, say, “Excellent!” When someone asks, “How’s business?,” reply with, “Excellent, and getting better every day!”

85. Savor beauty.

86. It’s easy to hold the fort, when you’re not being attacked.

87. Focus on making things better, not bigger.

88. Every once in awhile, take the scenic route.

89. It is better to embrace a moment, than to fear its passing.

90. Never take action when you’re angry.

91. Don’t major in minor things.

92. Be suspicious of all politicians.

93. Introduce yourself to the manager of restaurants, banks and other businesses you frequent a lot.

94. Don’t ever watch hotdogs or sausages being made.

95. Support school activities.

96. If you want to catch trout, don’t fish in a herring barrel.

97. Never sell your childhood toys, high school letterman jacket, yearbook or other items from childhood. You’ll regret it later.

98. When you’re buying something you only need to buy once, buy the best you can afford.

99. Choose work that is harmonious with your values.

100. Never forget your anniversaries.

101. A fault denied is twice committed. Don’t repeat mistakes.

102. Don’t throw away the old bucket until you’re sure the new one holds water!

103. Don’t worry about giving your children the best in this world. Give them your very best.

104. When you go jogging, carry with you a dollar or two. You never know when you’ll be thirsty for lemonade. Support young entrepreneurs.

105. Be your mate’s best friend. Go out and do things.

106. Never discuss business in elevators, lines or restrooms; you never know who might overhear you.

107. People who stay in the middle of the road get run over.

108. Keep your eyes on the road.

109. Every day, look for some small way to improve your job skills.

110. Don’t discuss salaries with friends or family.

111. Demand excellence and be willing to pay for it.

112. Give a grateful man more than what he asks.

113. Know how to tie a tie properly.

114. Like a child plays, a genius works.

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

116. Improve your performance by improving your attitude.

117. Never underestimate the power of forgiveness.

118. Never carry a grudge.

119. A lie can never fix the truth.

120. Buy low, sell high.

121. Go the distance when you accept a task.

122. He who slings mud, loses ground.

123. Keep good company, always.

124. Never tell someone they look tired or depressed.

125. Give to charity all the clothes you haven’t worn during the past three years.

126. If the news is so negative, why watch it?

127. Wear expensive shoes, belts and ties, but buy them on sale.

128. Don’t repeat scandals or malicious gossip.

129. Don’t use slang or use profane language. Speak clearly.

130. Be enthusiastic about the success of others.

131. Be open to new ideas, flexible and curious.

132. Don’t meddle in business you know nothing about.

133. It is better for happiness to find you, than to always be searching for it.

134. Once in your lifetime, own a convertible.

135. Don’t procrastinate. Do what needs doing, when it needs to be done.

136. Attend every event that happens only once in your lifetime. You’ll regret you didn’t go later in life. You can always go out on a Friday night; the prom happens once a lifetime.

137. A little spark can kindle a great fire.

138. He who is all for himself is often all by himself.

139. Don’t answer the telephone during dinner.

140. Take out the garbage without being told.

141. Consider writing an autobiography.

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

143. Tuck chairs in when you leave the table.

144. Don’t be loud of voice in public places. Keep your voice down. People can hear everything you say, besides, it’s rude.

145. Don’t lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.

146. He who sows barley, cannot gather wheat.

147. Think carefully about promising to do something. Once you say you’ll do it, you must do it.

148. When someone hugs you, be the last one to let go.

149. Be loyal.

150. Never give a relative a gift that suggests they need improvement.

151. Let people pull in front of you when you’re stopped in traffic.

152. Discipline yourself to save money.

153. Refill ice cube trays.

154. It’s okay to eat the last jellyroll, if you live alone.

155. Remember, in business and in family relationships, the most important things are trust and honesty.

156. When dining with clients or business associates, never order more than one cocktail or glass of wine. If no one else is drinking, don’t drink at all.

157. Take charge of your attitude; don’t let someone else choose it for you.

158. String your pearls on a strong cord.

159. Compliment the meal when you’re a guest in someone’s home.

160. Compliment even the smallest improvements.

161. Give thanks before every meal. Some people aren’t so lucky.

162. Money is useful, but don’t let it use you.

163. Don’t complain you don’t have enough time. You have the same amount of time, as did Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Plato and all the other greats of history.

164. You are older longer than you are younger.

165. Never hang all your clothes on one nail.

166. If you can’t see the bottom, don’t wade far.

167. Hear both sides before judging.

168. When playing games with children, always let them win.

169. Never walk out on a quarrel with a mate.

170. Better to have an end to misery, than misery without end.

171. Use the good silver once in awhile.

172. Reread your favorite book. Oh, this book!

173. Personality opens doors; character keeps them open.

174. Better to have lost at love, than never to have loved at all.

175. Life isn’t fair. Don’t expect it to be.

176. Never claim a victory prematurely.

177. Cherish your dreams.

178. Stay where you are valued; leave where you are not.

179. Pay your fair share when out with others.

180. Measure people by the size of their hearts, not their bank accounts.

181. Don’t waste time responding to critics.

182. A lie usually causes more trouble than the truth.

183. The truth eventually comes out.

184. Be a student in some kind of class. Teach a class.

185. Never send a dog to deliver a steak.

186. You have two ears and one mouth; use them in that proportion.

187. Feed a stranger’s expired parking meter.

188. If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.

189. He climbs highest who helps another up.

190. What’s right isn’t always popular, and what’s popular isn’t always right. Do the right thing, no matter what.

191. Yesterday will never come again, but you still have today.

192. Don’t be afraid to live passionately.

193. Share your knowledge. It’s a way of achieving immortality.

194. Remember the three R’s: Respect yourself, respect others and be responsible for all your actions and decisions, no exceptions.

195. Seek opportunity, not always security. A boat in the harbor is safe, but in time, its bottom will rot out.

196. Go the distance. When you accept a task, finish it!

197. Nothing’s over ’til it’s over.

198. Live life so that your epitaph could read, “No regrets!”

199. Be brave. Even if you’re not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference. Trust your feelings.

200. Don’t let weeds grow around your dreams.

201. Win the last battle.