What wisdom have I learned in 77 years of life?  I asked myself that question because yesterday, September 23, was my seventy-seventh birthday. I sat quietly during the day (about 15 times) and thought about the wisdom I had learned over my lifetime so far.  Many thoughts occurred to me.  As I reflected, I selected 27 that I believe are some of the most important.  I thought they would add value to the lives of others and so I decided to write a post on them.

Perspective

I have noticed a few things over the last three years or so.  First, many things do not bother me anymore, and I listen a lot more than I used to.  Second, for some reason, my mind has kicked in, and my reading of even difficult philosophical books has become easier.  For many years, I read just for the sake of reading.  Now I read to understand and reflect.  Perhaps, my mind has matured.  Finally, I have found that the search for true spirituality is much more important than almost every other search.

The Lessons of a Lifetime (So Far): 27 Principles*

I selected 27 principles to pay tribute to T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). He wrote a small gem of a book regarding his military experiences with the Arabs during the First World War.  He titled his book, “27 Principles.”

I want to offer 27 ideas that I found valuable over my years of life.  Here they are, but not in any order of importance.

1. Family and friends will sometimes disappoint us, but they are still friends and family.  Have expectations for yourself but not for anyone else.  
2. Human nature is much more complicated than anyone can even imagine.
3. Becoming successful is not that difficult.  Achieving success does require a plan, though, and certain key skills ((the art of execution (getting things done); communication skills and listening; interpersonal skills; becoming a lifelong learner, being a disciplined person; developing a positive mental attitude; and controlling your thoughts)).
4. Old friends are the best friends, but, as is obvious, it takes a long time to make an old friend.  Both of you have to stay the course.
5. Become a reader.  Reading is an essential element in living a life of purpose and contribution.  Reading forces us to become lifelong learners.
6. Start as early as possible to determine what makes you happy and what you would like to accomplish in your life.  Using a life journal to capture your daily thinking about your life and its purpose is an excellent place to start.
7. Be an individualist.  Do not follow the herd, but rather become as independent in your thinking, behavior, and actions as possible.
8. It pays not to be judgmental.  Making judgments about people does you great personal harm.  You may not realize it, but it does.
9. Speak and write only the truth.
10. Time is precious.  Do not waste it.
11. Never give up, regardless of circumstances or obstacles.
12. Eliminate all negativity from your life.  Do not blame, and do not complain.
13. Always do what is right, even if it is inconvenient, stressful, or difficult.
14. Self-awareness and self-knowledge are essential keys to a life of purpose and contribution.
15. Be generous with your money.
16. Do not live in the past.  Use the past as lessons learned, but that is all.  
17. Knowledge is not understanding, and understanding is not wisdom.
18. Truth and wisdom have no fear of time, and neither does common sense.
19. Always watch what people do; never listen to what they say.  Actions do speak louder than words.
20. Be kind and compassionate as often as you can.
21. Practice the Golden Rule because it really does work.  The Platinum Rule is even better: Treat others as they would like to be treated.
22. Nothing is inevitable.  Be very wary of anyone who makes such a statement.
23. In life, opposites do not attract.  Like attracts like.  We attract that which we are.  And from any perspective, that is a rather scary fact.
24. As the Stoics understood, all of us have control of only about one-tenth of one percent of our life, our attitude.  Once this is recognized, we are free to excel and thrive.
25. Character does count, and often it is the only thing that does.
26. Life accumulates.  We either accumulate the assets or we accumulate the liabilities.  It is far better to accumulate the assets of life (good health, wealth, good friends, wonderful experiences, great memories, etc.)
27. You are the only variable in your life.  Everyone has problems, challenges, and issues.  It is not what happens to you, but how you respond to what happens to you.

Links

External Link:  https://theasianantiquarian.com/

Internal Link:  https://whitebeardwisdom.com/desperately-seeking-spirituality/

Book Reference*

27 Principles, T.E. Lawrence (Available on Amazon.com)