If you want to know how good a surgeon is, don’t ask other doctors. Ask the nurses. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

When you find yourself procrastinating, don’t resist. Instead lean into it. Procrastinate 100%. Try to do absolutely nothing for 5 minutes. Make it your job. You’ll fail. After 5 minutes, you’ll be ready and eager to work. #excellentadvice

You have no obligation to like everyone, and you are free to intensely dislike a person. But you owe everyone—even those you dislike—basic respect. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Never accept a work meeting until you’ve seen the agenda and know what decisions need to be made. If no decisions need to be made, skip the meeting. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

If possible, every room should be constructed to provide light from two sides. Rooms with light from only one side are used less often, so when you have a choice, go with light from two sides. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Your decisions will become wiser when you consider these three words: “…and then what?” for each choice. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

For steady satisfaction, work on improving your worst days, rather than your best days. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

In a museum you need to spend at least 10 minutes with an artwork to truly see it. Aim to view 5 pieces at 10 minutes each rather than 100 at 30 seconds each. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

When you are stuck or overwhelmed, focus on the smallest possible thing that moves your project forward. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Don’t fear failure. Fear average. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

The patience you need for big things, is developed by your patience with the little things. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important. To get the important stuff done, avoid the demands of the urgent. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

You have 5 minutes to act on a new idea before it disappears from your mind. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Changing your mind about important things is not a consequence of stupidity, but a sign of intelligence. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

There should be at least one thing in your life you enjoy despite being no good at it. This is your play time, which will keep you young. Never apologize for it. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

When remodeling a home interior use big pieces of cardboard to mock-up your alterations at life size. Seeing things, such as counters, at actual size will change your plans, and it is so much easier to make modifications with duct tape and scissors. #excellentadvice

The surest way to be successful is to invent your own definition of success. Shoot your arrows first and then paint a bull’s eye around where they land. You’re the winner! For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Most arguments are not really about the argument, so most arguments can’t be won by arguing. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Every now and then throw a memorable party. The price will be steep, but long afterwards you will remember the party, whereas you won’t remember how much is in your checking account. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Where you live—what city, what country—has more impact on your well being than any other factor. Where you live is one of the few things in your life you can choose and change. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Once a month take a different route home, enter your house by a different door, and sit in a different chair at dinner. No ruts. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Try to make the kind of art and things that will inspire others to make art and things. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Asking “what-if?” about your past is a waste of time; asking “what-if?” about your future is tremendously productive. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

You can become the world’s best in something primarily by caring more about it than anyone else. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Multitasking is a myth. Don’t text while walking, running, biking or driving. Nobody will miss you if you just stop for a minute. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

When someone texts you they are running late, double the time they give you. If they say they’ll be there in 5, make that 10; if 10, it’ll be 20; if 20, count on 40. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

You owe everyone a second chance, but not a third. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

When shopping for anything physical (souvenirs, furniture, books, tools, shoes, equipment), ask yourself: where will this go? Don’t buy it unless there is a place it can live. Something may need to leave in order for something else to come in. #excellentadvice

If you think someone is normal, you don’t know them very well. Normalcy is a fiction. Your job is to discover their weird genius. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Interview your parents while they are still alive. Keep asking questions while you record. You’ll learn amazing things. Or hire someone to make their story into an oral history, or documentary, or book. This will be a tremendous gift to them and to your family. #excellentadvice

To make a room luxurious, remove things, rather than add things. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Read a lot of history so you can understand how weird the past was; that way you will be comfortable with how weird the future will be. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Try to define yourself by what you love and embrace, rather than what you hate and refuse. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Never hesitate to invest in yourself—to pay for a class, a course, a new skill. These modest expenditures pay outsized dividends. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

The best gardening advice: find what you can grow well and grow lots and lots of it. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Don’t save up the good stuff (fancy wine, or china) for that rare occasion that will never happen; instead use them whenever you can. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Whenever you hug someone, be the last to let go. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Aim to be effective, but unpredictable. That is, you want to act in a way that AIs have trouble modeling or imitating. Being unpredictable makes you irreplaceable. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Forget trying to decide what your life’s destiny is. That’s too grand. Instead, just figure out what you should do in the next 2 years. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Admitting that “I don’t know” at least once a day will make you a better person. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

The best way to criticize something is to make something better. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Advice like these are not laws. They are like hats. If one doesn’t fit, try another. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Your goal is to be able to say, on the day before you that you have fully become yourself. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Very few regrets in life are about what you did. Almost all are about what you didn’t do. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Life lessons will be presented to you in the order they are needed. Everything you need to master the lesson is within you. Once you have truly learned a lesson, you will be presented with the next one. If you are alive, that means you still have lessons to learn. #excellentadvice

Art before laundry. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

The chief prevention against getting old is to remain astonished. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Invent as many family rituals as you can handle with ease. Anything done on a schedule—large or small, significant or silly—can become a ritual. Repeated consistently, small routines become legendary. Anticipation is key. #excellentadvice

See that old person taking forever in line? That is the future you. Have patience. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice

Aim to die broke. Give to your beneficiaries before you die; it’s more fun and useful to them. Spend it all. Your last check should go to the funeral home and it should bounce. For more advice see my book Excellent Advice for Living amzn.to/3mQL4c4 #excellentadvice