Home > Work > Wise Guy: Lessons from a Life
1 " Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than smart. "
― Guy Kawasaki , Wise Guy: Lessons from a Life
2 " Remember that you are influencing people who are watching you. "
3 " The upside of paying it forward far outweighs the downside of being exploited. "
4 " Accept that people aren’t good or bad. Good people can do bad things, and bad people can do good things. "
5 " Do what’s right. Influence comes with a moral obligation to stand up for your principles and to help less fortunate people. "
6 " Seek out and embrace people who challenge you. You will learn more from them than from the folks who hold you to lower standards. "
7 " Thank the people who helped you achieve results before they are gone. You’ll regret notdoing so if the opportunity passes. "
8 " Remember the opportunities that you were afforded. After you’ve “made it,” provide opportunities to others. "
9 " Don’t let people make mistakes. At least play the devil’s advocateand explain why they might be making one. "
10 " it was better for Apple and for me that I slipped out in the dark of night. "
11 " Don’t worry about what motivates you. What’s important is that you are motivated. "
12 " Embrace the inspiration of people’s success. "
13 " In the Macintosh Division, you had to prove yourself every day, or Jobs got rid of you. He demanded excellence and kept you at the top of your game. It wasn’t easy to work for him; it was sometimes unpleasant and always scary, but it drove many of us to do the finest work of our careers. I wouldn’t trade working for him for any job I’ve ever had—and I don’t know anyone in the Macintosh Division who would. "
14 " Turn bad experiences into something good. "
15 " Don’t flatter yourself. We’re all specks of dust in the universe. "
16 " See humor where others see insults. Life is easier if you do not take offense easily. "
17 " Take responsibility for your fate. You still may not succeed, but at least you’ll try. "
18 " Don’t fear the impact of quitting something. What you do after you quit is more important than the fact that you quit. Do you reboot, remake, and restart, or do you give up? "
19 " Learn to like yourself, or change yourself until you can like yourself. "
20 " Cover your ass when you’re bending the rules. "