Keep It SIMPLE

"In the mid-1980's, John Opel, the then Chairman of IBM, gave a talk to an audience of Stanford MBAs.
In response to a question for his advice about how newly-minted MBAs should embark on their careers, he delivered this very centered advice:

1. Create value
2. Don't fake it
3. Business is people

The element that made his answer so engaging was that, after number two (Don't fake it), John paused and
read the body language in the room. He then said, with passion, "No, really, I mean it!". It brought the
house down.

He had correctly detected a subcurrent of dismissal of this statement, and called them on it. He went on to say that we were all smart enough and smooth enough to fake it and get away with it, and that the only thing preventing us from doing so was our own desire to do better than that. For the right kind of person, not faking it is its own reward, and don't allow anyone ever to tell you otherwise.

The MBA whipper-snappers were shocked that they were so apparent to such an old fart. I think it had a
profound effect on at least a few attendees -- a great moment of wisdom passing from one generation to
another."

Recently, I began the practice of asking prospective coaches for my referral network to answer a version of the following question: "If you had to give three pieces of advice to a complete stranger that you felt certain would massively impact their happiness, success, and wellbeing, what would they be?"

Unsurprisingly, the answers have been fascinating, helpful, and fun. What I didn't expect was the value of the process to the person being asked the question! What seems to happen is that in being asked to formalise a lifetime of experience into three pithy phrases, people become more aware of what it is they have to offer that is unique to them, and what starts as an intellectual exercise becomes a wonderful affirmation of our inner wisdom and inner knowing.

Even better is the fact that because your three pieces of advice come directly from your self,
you'll never have to worry about forgetting them!

If you had to give three pieces of advice to a complete stranger that you felt certain would positively impact their happiness, success, and well-being, what would they be? or... If you could only give 3 pieces of advice to your children/a child on how to have a happy, healthy, successful life, what would they be?