More of what life and career have taught me

Our Georgie, age 1

Here's a follow up to my original reflection on what I've learned in life and career, thus far:

To my surprise

• I peaked athletically at the age of 13 and intellectually at the age of (not quite yet).

• “Kvetchup and mustard” is an unregistered domain and incredible restaurant business opportunity.

• Traveling alone is one of the world’s great delights.

• I derive an excessive amount of joy from introducing good people who should know each other.

Caveat emptor

• Don’t do what’s expedient, easy, or self-serving. It’s obvious to everyone.

• Deep couches are beautiful to look at but terrible for the body.

• Advice is overrated. No one shares your personal context.

Soapbox

• If someone says, “see ya later, alligator,” you are morally obligated to respond, “after a while, crocodile.” No exceptions.

• “Don’t eat anything bigger than your head” (thanks for that one, Dad).

• I prefer the term “balding” to “bald” (it’s a process, not yet complete).

• Be bold enough to mix a tie, pocket square, and lapel pin and just dumb enough to try.

  
  

Children

• I love our daughter, Nora, dearly but I just don’t get the TikTok videos she shows me. It’s a generational thing – that’s what I tell myself, anyway.

Personal relationships

• The written word still matters more than the digital equivalent because it takes more time and effort. People notice.

• Do everything you can to remember uncommon special days like the birthday of a friend’s child, a citizenship anniversary, or the date of an honorable discharge from the military.

• Affirm, don’t flatter.

• Precedents can be reset in relationships. Always try.

• Sacrificing short-term for the long-term is a bet that almost always pays off.

Business relationships

• Some can, and will, help you more than others. Set your expectations accordingly.

• The person who cares less controls the relationship. Sometimes it’s you and sometimes it’s them.

• For better or worse, a small few determine the majority of our success.

  
  

Laughter

• I believe in laughter, whether it’s at me or with me.

• The absolute best conversation is one where a wrestler or 90s baseball player name is uttered with absolutely no context. Candy Maldonado!

Accumulated business wisdom

• Everything communicates. What you say and what you don’t.

• Don’t spend too much time in your head. Write it down.

• Be the first to deliver bad news and do it in-person.

• The best power can do is produce compliance. Choose influence instead.

Everything else

• Personality and luck will only take you so far.

• I can fit “Go Bucky” into any conversation about anything. Try me.

• Best question ever: “What do you know, that I don’t know, but should?”

• “You’re perfect the way you are…and you can use a little improvement” (S. Suzuki)

• We have a whole lot of crazy in our house and a whole lot of love. Lucky us.