1. The true sin lies not in the falling, but in not getting back up.
My cardinal rule for living. Failing or losing is perfectly acceptable. Giving up never is.
It is, after all, my number one rule for living.
Cutlerish’s Rules for Living
These are my personal rules for life. I posted them, individually, a while ago with a little commentary. You can read those posts here.
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Stay tuned at around 9pm (EDT) for my last “Cutlerish’s Rules for Living” post
It is far and away my most important rule!
Thou shalt not wait much longer.
Cutlerish’s Rules for Living
I’ve recently added two more to my personal rules for life:
- The true sin lies not in the falling, but in not getting back up.
- Sometimes enthusiasm can seem like desperation.
- A lack of success does not necessarily mean you are doing things wrong.
- Learn to keep your mouth shut sometimes.
- Patience is a virtue.
- A gram of compromise is worth a pound of imposed control.
- ‘No’ is an acceptable answer.
- It feels worse when you let it rule you. (Or: When life gives you lemons make lemonade.)
- Limits aren’t meant to be accepted, but sidestepped or overcome.
- Fate may bring you opportunity, but you alone can seize it.
- A friend in the direst need may not ask for help. Nevertheless, it must be given.
- Awkwardness is artificial, it does not exist intrinsically.
- Confidence is attractive.
- Strength of will is to be respected, though not necessarily admired.
- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Otherwise, do it quietly.
- Accept gratitude and generosity when they are freely given.
- Admiration is wasted unless it is shared with its object.
- You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar, but the ones caught with vinegar can be far more interesting.
- Friends are precious possessions. Treat them as such.
- You are far better at hurting yourself than is anyone else.
- Challenges are opportunities that have to be unwrapped.
- Anything you want to know is spoken in every word and action. The trick is in knowing how to listen.
- You aren’t truly rich until you’ve given something away.
- No good deed should ever go unthanked.
- Everyone deserves a second chance.
- Respect is a right, not a privilege.
- Love and friendship are privileges, not rights.
- If you can’t get rid of a neurosis, turn it into something useful.
- A genuine smile is contagious.
- Racism, sexism and prejudicial discrimination are disguises for ignorance, poor self-esteem and fear.
- Never underestimate the power of a simple gesture.
- It is one thing to have pride, but quite another to be prideful.
- Persistence can turn a failure into a success.
- There are two types of trouble: the kind that just happens and the kind that you knowingly walk into. It is important to know the difference.
- The only acceptable reasons for taking an elevator one floor are: lack of stairs, carrying something heavy.
- Lie once. If you aren’t believed, lie once more. After that, stop. Nobody tries to convince others of facts.
- Never befriend a person that is only kind to their betters and equals.
- No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
- If you don’t take the fools into account, you’re one of them.
- Blade out, never in.
- Misleading with part of the truth is more effective than a lie.
- Always be specific when you lie.
- Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence.
- Don’t judge someone for a lack of education; judge them for an unwillingness to learn.
- Learn to use the semicolon.
- Apologize to your wife or significant other.
- Pick your battles, but always be prepared to fight.
- Hand-write the important letters.
- You don’t have to be related to be family.
- Someone is always closing the sale. Sometimes it should be you.
Cutlerish’s Rules for Living
These are my (current) personal rules for life:
1. The true sin lies not in the falling, but in not getting back up.
2. Sometimes enthusiasm can seem like desperation.
3. A lack of success does not necessarily mean you are doing things wrong.
4. Learn to keep your mouth shut sometimes.
5. Patience is a virtue.
6. A gram of compromise is worth a pound of imposed control.
7. ‘No’ is an acceptable answer.
8. It feels worse when you let it rule you. (Or: When life gives you lemons make lemonade.)
9. Limits aren’t meant to be accepted, but sidestepped or overcome.
10. Fate may bring you opportunity, but you alone can seize it.
11. A friend in the direst need may not ask for help. Nevertheless, it must be given.
12. Awkwardness is artificial, it does not exist intrinsically.
13. Confidence is attractive.
14. Strength of will is to be respected, though not necessarily admired.
15. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Otherwise, do it quietly.
16. Accept gratitude and generosity when they are freely given.
17. Admiration is wasted unless it is shared with its object.
18. You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar, but the ones caught with vinegar can be far more interesting.
19. Friends are precious possessions. Treat them as such.
20. You are far better at hurting yourself than is anyone else.
21. Challenges are opportunities that have to be unwrapped.
22. Anything you want to know is spoken in every word and action. The trick is in knowing how to listen.
23. You aren’t truly rich until you’ve given something away.
24. No good deed should ever go unthanked.
25. Everyone deserves a second chance.
26. Respect is a right, not a privilege.
27. Love and friendship are privileges, not rights.
28. If you can’t get rid of a neurosis, turn it into something useful.
29. A genuine smile is contagious.
30. Racism, sexism and prejudicial discrimination are disguises for ignorance, poor self-esteem and fear.
31. Never underestimate the power of a simple gesture.
32. It is one thing to have pride, but quite another to be prideful.
33. Persistence can turn a failure into a success.
34. There are two types of trouble: the kind that just happens and the kind that you knowingly walk into. It is important to know the difference.
35. The only acceptable reasons for taking an elevator one floor are: lack of stairs, carrying something heavy.
36. Lie once. If you aren’t believed, lie once more. After that, stop. Nobody tries to convince others of facts.
37. Never befriend a person that is only kind to their betters and equals.
38. No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
39. If you don’t take the fools into account, you’re one of them.
40. Blade out, never in.
41. Misleading with part of the truth is more effective than a lie.
42. Always be specific when you lie.
43. Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence.
44. Don’t judge someone for a lack of education; judge them for an unwillingness to learn.
45. Learn to use the semicolon.
46. Apologize to your wife or significant other.
47. Pick your battles, but always be prepared to fight.
48. Hand-write the important letters.
Jeremy’s Rules for Living (48)
I’ve added 8 more since the last time I’ve posted the list. Some are lifted from other sources, but only when they have particular meaning for me.
Got questions on how I came up with any of these rules? Feel free to ask!
(1) The true sin lies not in the falling, but in not getting back up.
(2) Sometimes enthusiasm can seem like desperation.
(3) A lack of success does not necessarily mean you are doing things wrong.
(4) Learn to keep your mouth shut sometimes.
(5) Patience is a virtue.
(6) A gram of compromise is worth a pound of imposed control.
(7) ‘No’ is an acceptable answer.
(8) It feels worse when you let it rule you. (Or: When life gives you lemons make lemonade.)
(9) Limits aren’t meant to be accepted, but sidestepped or overcome.
(10) Fate may bring you opportunity, but you alone can seize it.
(11) A friend in the direst need may not ask for help. Nevertheless, it must be given.
(12) Awkwardness is artificial, it does not exist intrinsically.
(13) Confidence is attractive.
(14) Strength of will is to be respected, though not necessarily admired.
(15) Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Otherwise, do it quietly.
(16) Accept gratitude and generosity when they are freely given.
(17) Admiration is wasted unless it is shared with its object.
(18) You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar, but the ones caught with vinegar can be far more interesting.
(19) Friends are precious possessions. Treat them as such.
(20) You are far better at hurting yourself than is anyone else.
(21) Challenges are opportunities that have to be unwrapped.
(22) Anything you want to know is spoken in every word and action. The trick is in knowing how to listen.
(23) You aren’t truly rich until you’ve given something away.
(24) No good deed should ever go unthanked.
(25) Everyone deserves a second chance.
(26) Respect is a right, not a privilege.
(27) Love and friendship are privileges, not rights.
(28) If you can’t get rid of a neurosis, turn it into something useful.
(29) A genuine smile is contagious.
(30) Racism, sexism and prejudicial discrimination are disguises for ignorance, poor self-esteem and fear.
(31) Never underestimate the power of a simple gesture.
(32) It is one thing to have pride, but quite another to be prideful.
(33) Persistence can turn a failure into a success.
(34) There are two types of trouble: the kind that just happens and the kind that you knowingly walk into. It is important to know the difference.
(35) The only acceptable reasons for taking an elevator one floor are: lack of stairs, carrying something heavy.
(36) Lie once. If you aren’t believed, lie once more. After that, stop. Nobody tries to convince others of facts.
(37) Never befriend a person that is only kind to their betters and equals.
(38) No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
(39) If you don’t take the fools into account, you’re one of them.
(40) Blade out, never in.
(41) Misleading with part of the truth is more effective than a lie.
(42) Always be specific when you lie.
(43) Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence.
(44) Don’t judge someone for a lack of education; judge them for an unwillingness to learn.
(45) Learn to use the semicolon.
(46) Apologize to your wife.
(47) Pick your battles, but always be prepared to fight.
(48) Hand-write the important letters.
The Current Jeremy’s Rules for Living
I’ve posted them piecemeal up to now, but here they are in the complete, current form.
(1) The true sin lies not in the falling, but in not getting back up.
(2) Sometimes enthusiasm can seem like desperation.
(3) A lack of success does not necessarily mean you are doing things wrong.
(4) Learn to keep your mouth shut sometimes.
(5) Patience is a virtue.
(6) A gram of compromise is worth a pound of imposed control.
(7) ‘No’ is an acceptable answer.
(8) It feels worse when you let it rule you. (Or: When life gives you lemons make lemonade.)
(9) Limits aren’t meant to be accepted, but sidestepped or overcome.
(10) Fate may bring you opportunity, but you must seize it.
(11) A friend in the direst need may not ask for help. Nevertheless, it must be given.
(12) Awkwardness is artificial, it does not exist intrinsically.
(13) Confidence is attractive.
(14) Strength of will is to be respected, though not necessarily admired.
(15) Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Otherwise, do it quietly.
(16) Accept gratitude and generosity when they are freely given.
(17) Admiration is wasted unless it is shared with its object.
(18) You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar, but the ones caught with vinegar can be far more interesting.
(19) Friends are precious possessions. Treat them as such.
(20) You are far better at hurting yourself than is anyone else.
(21) Challenges are opportunities that have to be unwrapped.
(22) Anything you want to know is spoken in every word and action. The trick is in knowing how to listen.
(23) You aren’t truly rich until you’ve given something away.
(24) No good deed should ever go unthanked.
(25) Everyone deserves a second chance.
(26) Respect is a right, not a privilege.
(27) Love and friendship are privileges, not rights.
(28) If you can’t get rid of a neurosis, turn it into something useful.
(29) A genuine smile is contagious.
(30) Racism, sexism and prejudicial discrimination are disguises for ignorance, poor self-esteem and fear.
(31) Never underestimate the power of a simple gesture.
(32) It is one thing to have pride, but quite another to be prideful.
(33) Persistence can turn a failure into a success.
(34) There are two types of trouble: the kind that just happens and the kind that you knowingly walk into. It is important to know the difference.
(35) The only acceptable reasons for taking an elevator one floor are: lack of stairs, carrying something heavy.
(36) Lie once. If you aren’t believed, lie once more. After that, stop. Nobody tries to convince others of facts.
(37) Never befriend a person that is only kind to their betters and equals.
(38) No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
(39) If you don’t take the fools into account, you’re one of them.
(40) Blade out, never in.
(41) Misleading with part of the truth is more effective than a lie.
(42) Always be specific when you lie.
(43) Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence.
(44) Don’t judge someone for a lack of education; judge them for an unwillingness to learn.
(45) Learn to use the semicolon.
(46) Apologize to your wife.
(47) Pick your battles, but always be prepared to fight.
(48) Hand-write the important letters.
Jeremy’s Rules for Living (No more for now)
(3) A lack of successes doesn’t necessarily mean you are doing things wrong.
(21) Challenges are opportunities that have to be unwrapped.
Jeremy’s Rules for Living (Not done yet)
(11) A friend in the direst need will not ask for help. Nevertheless, it must be given.
(33) Persistence is a necessity for success. Persistence can turn even failure into success.
Jeremy’s Rules for Living, in case you wanted more
(37) Never befriend a person that is kind to their betters and unkind to the rest.
(40) Blade out, never in.
Jeremy’s Rules for Living, nearing the end
(34) There are two types of trouble: the kind that just happens and the kind that you knowingly walk into. It is important to know the difference.
(36) Lie once. If you aren’t believed, lie again. Never more than that since nobody tries to convince others of facts.
Features from Jeremy’s Rules for Living
(8) It feels worse when you let it control you. (Or: When life gives you lemons make lemonade.)
(27) Love and friendship are privileges, not rights.
Jeremy’s Rules for Living, the sequels
(24) No good deed should ever go unthanked.
(39) If you don’t take the fools into account, you’re one of them.
