I believe that in living we are obligated to leave a positive difference in the world. I have a set of five core values that I live by and believe in conducting all my personal and professional affairs according to these rules and values that I devised for myself many years ago. Like the motions of life, some of my philosophy for life and living keeps growing and changing as the years go by. However, my five core values are unyielding and sacrosanct and they are not up to revision, bribery, or compromise. These values are the very personal way in which I practice my life by. I simply call these rules “Guys' Five Rules to a Good Life” and as you will notice in the typography of the next five paragraphs, the capitalization of the word “Guy” is intentional.
Guy's Five Rules to a Good Life!
Guy Rule One: Whether one is in school or not, it is imperative that a good Guy should always keeps up his education and remain smart by reading frequently. By acquiring lots of knowledge on a variety of subjects, you lessen the risk of becoming a fool. Read whatever you can get your hands on (books, magazines, etc.) However, besides acquiring knowledge and power that comes from reading, the best education of all is to live your life each day with gusto and learn how to get along with all types of people. Dealing with people is the greatest educational necessity that we will encounter in our lives.
Guy Rule Two: When the time comes, a good Guy should always – without fail – use the right tool for the job. It does not matter if this is using a saw to cut a piece of wood or saying the right words around people. Don't use anger when understanding is called for. Don't use indifference when encouragement is needed. In life, we can build people up or tear them down, depending on which tools we use. Since you are not the only person on earth who has feelings, expressing the right words and feelings are important.
Guy Rule Three: A good Guy should have enough intelligence to know the difference between needs and wants. Our actual needs in life are pretty limited: food, shelter, clothing, and companionship. Just about everything else is a "want," and our wants can be essentially endless. Unless you have the bank account of millionaire, a regular Guy’s resources are limited so make careful choices about which wants to fulfill. Don’t lose in the financial game of life. Spending my golden years piddling around in a nice 400 cubic square foot cardboard box is not the way to leave a legacy. Enough said!
Guy Rule Four: A good Guy should always be aware that above all else loyalty and good manners matter – both in giving and in receiving. How you act and conduct yourself among others is the visible part of your soul. This does not matter if it is your family, your friends, your significant other, or even your business partners who support and believe in you – giving loyalty to those who deserve it and showing good manners are always expected and never go out of style or become stale. Never downgrade your manners and always put forth the best effort to be the better man in every situation.
Guy Rule Five: A good Guy should always act like a proper man at all times. Never confuse being a real man with being a genuine idiot. It takes a real Guy to fill the many roles in life such as being a good father, husband, boyfriend, and co-worker. Never, and I mean never, hurt or abuse those that love you or need your help.