1. Stop watching T.V.



2. Read books that take opposing points of view and then draw your own conclusions based on the information provided. Never just assume that any one side is right.



3. Think before you buy. Ask yourself “Do I really need this?” I’m not advocating a minimalist approach– you might need beer or videogames to help you relieve stress, and that’s healthy, but if it’s something you don’t really need, skip it and save the money.



4. Ignore what other people say. Have the ovaries (or the balls) to do what you want regardless of how “normal” or “stupid” people say it is. If you know in your heart that it will work, keep at it, stay strong, and give your naysayers the bird.



5. Recognize fear mongering when you see it. Don’t let fear dictate your actions (or your spending.)



6. Do something creative everyday.



7. Think outside the box as often as you can. Always look for what’s beyond the next frontier.



8. Call people on their issues, but only if they’re hurting themselves or others. Being a jerk just for the sake of it is something everyone should try to avoid.



9. Be friendly. Shake everyone’s hand, and don’t wait to be introduced. Get out there and network, get to know people and forge connections. There really are usually less than six degrees of separation between you and someone who might just be able to save your life (or your butt) when things get tough down the road.



10. Don’t base your self value on how much money you make or what kind of possessions you have. True self worth is measured in how happy you are in the life you’re living. Discover what you really want out of life, then go out and get it. As long as you stay on that path, you are a success.



11. Put happiness first. If you’re unhappy, change.



12. Faith is meant to elevate and guide us, not control or limit us. No matter what you believe (even if you believe in nothing at all) never let it get in the way of doing what’s right.



13. Learn because you want to, not because you have to.



14. Exercise regularly, even if it just means taking a short walk once or twice a day. Even a little bit of exercise can make a world of difference in how happy and how productive you are!

15. Do what is right because it is right, not because others say it's right.



16. Don’t just live each day like it was your last, do everything fully and completely– push yourself for that extra mile and truly live. You never know what tomorrow will bring.



17. Listen to and try to accept everyone’s opinions and perspectives, even if you don’t agree with them. Stay open minded and take the time to research opinions and positions you don’t agree with, even if only to learn what the weak points in their arguments are.



18. Realize and embrace your limits, but try to push them, even if only just a little further.



19. Recognize failures and learn from them. Not everything that goes wrong is a failure, and we don’t always see the places where we’ve made mistakes, but learning to spot them and correct them in our future work is definitely a key to success.



20. Find someone who you see as being successful (according to your own definition) and study them. Don’t measure yourself by their standards, but look for things that they may be doing which could benefit you.



21. Never, ever, under any circumstances, give up on your pursuit of happiness.