- I am 52, and one for each year seemed appropriate.
- There are 52 weeks in a year, and I am going to write one post per week on each of the lessons throughout 2012.
Life’s Purpose
1. Heavenly Father loves His children
2. Every person is His child
3. Father is ever near—we move
4. God’s acceptance is enough (Honors of men are fleeting)
5. Death isn’t our end
6. Life wasn’t our beginning
7. Families can be together forever
8. People, not things, are important
9. Sweet’s found passing through bitter
Better Relationships
10. Legacies of love last longest
11. Forgiveness is charity’s highest act
12. Building trust is hard work
13. Trust is character and competence
14. Character is duty’s selfless performance
15. Competence is elegant, reliable performance
16. Assume good will
17. Who gets credited matters little
18. Others are never just objects
19. When in love, be yourself
Getting More Out of Life
20. More important than doing: causing
21. Time’s man-made, not inherently important
22. Manage energy, not time
23. When inspired, write it down
24. Steady progress beats flashy performance
25. Success has no real shortcuts
26. Process enables (doesn’t cause) accomplishment.
27. Effectiveness vs efficiency? Do BOTH!
28. Fight status quo, unless God-given
29. Work on, not in, problems
30. Listen, observe, ponder, act
31. There’s usually a better way
32. Contribution out-performs cooperation and competition
Getting Through Hard Times
33. Life is mostly about learning
34. Learning is mostly about failure
35. Willingness precedes all real growth
36. When provoked, hold your peace
37. Optimize for the current state
38. People are action motivated. Do!
39. People are motion activated. Go!
Winning Ways to (and not to) Be
40. Gratitude precedes all other virtues
41. Giving hope casts out fear
42. Act! Don’t be acted upon
43. Be easily pleased, never satisfied
44. Rumors repeated destroy trust
45. Negativity is a selfish cancer
46. Selfishness causes life’s worst pain
47. Develop Integrity: say and do
48. Expect miracles—act in faith
49. True confidence is self-trust, virtue
50. Don’t fear failure. It teaches
51. Fear begets fear, guarantees failure
52. Change, without willingness, is impossible (Change, with willingness, will occur)
Profound, Lee. I really enjoyed reading through and pondering each of these items. Since I am likewise turning 52 in less than a month, your list has very personal meaning to me, and I now am motivated to create my own list! Thanks for sharing your testimony herein, and inspiring me to “go and do likewise!”
Glad it had some meaning for you, Julie. Boiling a thought down to five words or less does cause some turning of the mind that brings clarity and insights that deepened my conviction of all 52 points. I hope your list does the same for you.
Reading through this list has reminded me of so many moments when you have taken the time to teach me. I can’t wait to read each of these posts. I love you more than words can express, and I am so blessed to be your daughter.
Thanks Dad! This really is a treasure to me!
It’s an honor to be your Dad, Dave! Life teaches, it’s really just a question of whether we are willing learners. So much of what it in the list of 52 was learned “the hard way.” I hope it saves others some of the longer, harder path to learning.
Lee,
I loved reading through this. I really appreciate your sharing it. Your children are very blessed to have a dad like you. I hope you don’t mind if I share this too as I think everyone needs a list like this to help them along in this life. I wish you the best in 2012 and beyond for you and your family.
I would love that you share it with anyone… That’s the spirit in which it was shared. With your years of life and business experience, i would love to have you share a few of your own, here.
Just found your blog, Lee. Thanks for the words of wisdom. If I memorize this list, maybe I won’t have to go through the trials to learn them for myself! I guess it doesn’t work that way, but your insights help me make more sense of my own challenges. Thanks so much for sharing. Isn’t writing so therapeutic?!
Dana told me how to get on your blog and I am so grateful. Your expertise in putting into words what is in your heart is yet another inherited gift from your Daddy. I feel so honored and blessed to be your mother and his eternal companion. Your words of wisdom will be a great treasure and blessing to your children as well as all who you have shared with. Love you so very much.
Mom
Awe shucks, Ma!
Very kind of you to put my communication abilities anywhere near Dad’s! I remember avoiding Scrabble with him like it was the plague–you just didn’t stand a chance.
Love you!