Rules of Success to Adopt by Age 13

Liked!!! I need to get cracking on a lot of these and I'm well past the age of 13.


from garynorth.com
Rules of Success to Adopt by Age 13:

I could list these rules by order of importance or by chronology. I chose chronology. You must get into good habits now. Start where you are.

This is the #1 rule of success in every area of life: exceptional service.
Honesty really is the best policy.
Progress rests on these words: "Let's make a deal."
Adopt this as your criterion for decision-making: "Something is better than nothing."
Adopt its corollary: "You can't beat something with nothing."
Adopt its other corollary: "There is no such thing as a free lunch."
When you receive a gift, say "thanks." It cost the gift-giver something.
Life is a trade-off between time and money. Watch for any unexpected change in the ratio.
Early warning signal: when an event a year ago seems like a month ago.
Never post anything on Facebook or Twitter that you would not say face-to-face.
Be fair to everyone on your way up. You will meet them again on your way down.
Memorize people's names. This will open many doors in life.
People are more interested in themselves than in you. So, start with them.
When you start a project, finish it. Obvious dead ends are exceptions. Be sure.
Start thinking about your lifetime calling. On your calling, watch this.
Put your three major lifetime goals in writing. Create plans to achieve them.
All written plans should be specific and have deadlines. Review these plans on a schedule.
Work hard for half a day for the rest of your life. It doesn't matter which half.
Take one day off each week. No exceptions. Plan your work schedule for this.
Budget your time to be in control of your life. Time is the only irreplaceable resource.
Cut TV viewing to an hour a day. Use TiVo. Skip the ads.
Do the same with social media, texting, and phone calls. One hour, total.
Set up a budget for money. Then stick with it. Mint is free.
Tithe 10% of your earned/invested income to your church. No church? Then charities.
Save 10% of your earned/invested income. Put it in the bank until you have $1,500.
Earn some part-time income. Get a job or start a business.
Start using Evernote Clipper. Clip articles from now on.
Learn screencasting. Screencast-O-Matic is free.
Buy an external microphone. The Nady LM-14/U is cheap.
Start a YouTube channel. It's free.
Learn Scrivener. This is the key tool for writing reports and papers.
Take as much math as you can handle. Do not cut off your career possibilities.
Knowing statistics is better for most people than knowing calculus.
Learn how to speak in public. This is a universally applicable skill.
Start a blog on a serious subject. Post at least twice a week.
Sex is for married couples. No exceptions.
Single motherhood will set you back 25 years or more.
So will child support.
Either marry a Proverbs 31 woman or be one.
If you sense that you are becoming addicted to anything, quit immediately.
This includes sugar.
Never pay retail for college. To pay wholesale, watch this.
Start taking CLEP and DSST exams at the end of next term. Quiz out of college.
Never go into debt for college. This includes your parents.
Earn an online accredited college degree. It's cheap. It's fast.
Save your college money for grad school. Earn your M.A. or MBA online.
Start a business while you're going to grad school.
Better yet, start a business while you're in high school. Alternative option:
Get a part-time job in a local mid-sized business.
Find out how the owner started and built the business.
Read 25 "how-to" books in your chosen career field before age 25. Age 21 would be better.
Start another blog in the field you decide to go into. Deadline: age 21.
Use a debit card. Use it sparingly.
Do not use debt to buy anything that depreciates. There is one exception:
Buy cheap items on credit, and pay off each debt in 3 months. This raises your FICO credit score.
Get the lowest-interest credit card you qualify for. Never be late on a payment.
Buy used goods with paper currency, and ask for a discount. Get a written receipt.
Pay a premium to get exceptional service that saves you time and lowers your risk.
Do not be too uppity to shop at a well laid-out "dollar store."
Do not buy her an engagement ring. Spend the ring money on the honeymoon.
Great memories appreciate; stuff depreciates. Keep a digital scrapbook of great memories.
Buy her wedding ring at a pawnshop. Buy the other guy's mistake. Pay 25% of retail.
Do not unknowingly marry anyone with college debt over $10,000. Find out. Desperate people may lie.
Get a pre-nuptial agreement: neither partner accepts the other's pre-marriage debts.
Life insurance: 10-year level term, $500,000 minimum. The beneficiary must own the policy.
Spouses must own policies on each other. No exceptions.
Legally independent adults should have a Health Savings Account (HSA).
Have one more child than you think you can afford. Maybe two.
Never buy a new car. A 4-year-old one will do just fine. Pay cash.
Do not sell your home when you move up. Keep it as an investment.
Sit on a committee, but never let one veto you. Quit. Then appoint a committee.
Do not become economically dependent on any government promise.
Never settle for anything less than the top 20% in anything. Never means never.
Never break these three rules of lifetime success:

1. Do what you say you will do.
2. Do it on time or a little early.
3. Do it for the price you agree to, and then add a free bonus.

Here is a rule that you will wish you had followed at age 50, but you probably won't:

Spend 10 minutes a day with a speed-reading program. Which one? Something is better than nothing.

There is a mark of success. It indicates that you are no longer struggling. You may not have arrived, but you are on the last leg of your journey. It was articulated by Max Blumert, the father of coin dealer and libertarian activist Burt Blumert. I call it Max's law.

Buy the Best. Pay Cash. Take Delivery.

Update: I had only one attack on this article. It came from a very upset Christian, sent on a Sunday. You can read it here: http://www.garynorth.com/public/13951.cfm.

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