Tomorrow I turn 50. I wanted to share some of the most important things I’ve learned – in the course of a half-century – with my sons so I started sorting, writing and editing. I’ve decided to share the results with anyone who is interested. Click here to download My 50 Best Lessons from 50 Years of Living.
I hope you enjoy these lessons and I’d like to invite you to post the most important lessons you’ve learned.
Life IS short! Eat dessert first and enjoy things along life’s journey!
I think the best lesson I learned about life was to be grateful. It is so easy to complain and feel bad for yourself. But trust me, things can always get worse.
Life is how you see it so it is important to see it as positive so you can create a positive life for yourself. Stop dwelling on the bad and be thankful for all you have.
I find keeping a gratitude journal with 5 things each day has really changed my life.
There is no time in your life that you do not have “options”.
The single most liberating quote I’ve come accross:
“Allow others to experience your weight and let them deal with it”
From that moment on I have not waisted any more time or energy on worrying thoughts of what others might think of me, especially since they don’t think of what I’m doing that often!
Happy birthday Mark! A few days late, but a hearty wish from me to you! Thanks for sharing so much of yourself with all of us, in your blog and in your books. l have learned a lot from all of your writings, and I am glad to have been introduced to your work several years ago by a mutual friend (Kirk Weisler).
Here’s to 50 more years worth of great lessons that you share with us in whatever time you are left with. Great timeless advice will always be appreciated!
Measure twice, cut once! The first lesson a carpenter learns can be applied to building book shelves and proofreading!
Your reflection has resulted in me “reflecting” which is the greatest compliment.
Another great wisdom I learned was this:
“if you have to compare, compare spiritually/morally “up” so you can see what you have the potential of becoming; compare material “down”, so you can be grateful of all the blessings you have”!
Happy Birthday a day late! The lesson that has stuck with me for years is:
“If you continue to do what you have always done, you will continue to get what you have always gotten.”
If you want things to be different in your life, you need to make the necessary changes to get what you truly want. If not, your life will continue on its current, unwanted path.
Happy Birthday. You choose the life that you live – make it a great one.
It has taken me a few more than fifty years to learn one needs to listen to their heart, their “gut” and to follow their dreams. Only you know what you want to accomplish in your life. Let others offer guidance, but not direction. You will never know unless you go for it. Happy Birthday, Mark and here’s to 50 more!
Great lessons Mark!
SET your priorities and keep them straight.
God, Family, Friends, Work, Ect…
Being a person of substance is being comfortable in you skin, not your sin.
Hey Mark, I just turned 53 Friday. I have come to realize that God has a great deal of opportunites for us to take adavantage of. The only way we can receive what God has in store for us is to turn loose of what we have.
I just loved these! I’m going to highlight my favorites and make a lesson out of these points with my students. Thanks for sharing, Mark. By the way, we share the same birthday!
Great time of year to reflect on these lessons. These are timely reminders to focus on what’s most important. Glad I found this download. Blessings on a potential-packed new year!
Thank-you for your insights. Choosing to be positive becomes a wonderful habit. Laughing, loving and learning make life eternally fascinating.With age we develop the ability to see differences in others with kinder eyes.
The most important thing in life is love, nothing less, nothing more.