It’s Complex

Now, I’m not being evasive, but it is complex. It may depend on the situation. For instance, there was one I learned in ancient times when I trained to be a medical first responder. The instructor was clear: ” Don’t become a victim!” He meant that you can’t save human lives in a crisis if you do something stupid and become a victim yourself.

Then there was the advice of First Class Petty Officer John O’Toole -the Tool- as we called him. His life mantra was, “Luck is what you stumble upon in life. Providence is what God plans for you, and planning is how you thread your way between the two without getting crushed.”

Others influence me too. One of my favorites in the shop, especially when things are going poorly, is an observation of Confucius that “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

It’s not being mediocre or indecisive to have many mantras. Actually, it’s quite savvy. It’s an acknowledgment that life itself is complex, and that our approaches to it must be as well if we want to succeed. So don’t censure yourself by insisting on one rule and guide. Please be selective but practical in your selection. Always remember the wise words of the great baseball player, Leo Durocher: “I believe in rules. Sure I do. If there weren’t any rules, how could you break them?”

What’s a personal mantra or philosophy you live by?

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