Maxims for life

[LLC]

One I came up with a few years ago for work purposes is:

If you can't be on time, be early.

[DrunkenMonkey]

Fool me once, shame on shame on you. Fool me you can't get fooled again. -Dubya

[cigcars]

"He who is a donkey and takes himself to be a stallion - finds his mistake when he comes to leap the ditch"

"He who slings mud generally loses ground"

"It's easier to fight for one's principles than to live by them"

"All sunshine makes a desert"

[Ken Gargett]

I've liked "Its easier to ask forgiveness than permission"

nothing personal but for me, this one is a load of crap and incredibly selfish. it basically means i'll screw whoever i want and then worry about.

it is, word-perfect, how they described baden-clay (for non-aussies, just convicted of murdering his wife in a high profile trial).

again, nothing personal but my experience is that every single time i have heard someone use that, it is because they have acted as a complete and total tosser and think it justifies themselves.

[TheDistrictJP]

I hear you, but it is also very common in the corporate world as well. It means to trust your gut and take a chance on an opportunity instead of going through the proper channels of paperwork or whatever you would need to in order to officially line things up.

Leaders are usually more impressed with someone that makes decisions in the field and gets things done than someone that is always stopping to ask 'is it OK if I do this?'.

that's the point but I'm not taking anything away from your statements on the murder, which I have no knowledge of.

jp

[Ken Gargett]

I hear you, but it is also very common in the corporate world as well. It means to trust your gut and take a chance on an opportunity instead of going through the proper channels of paperwork or whatever you would need to in order to officially line things up.

Leaders are usually more impressed with someone that makes decisions in the field and gets things done than someone that is always stopping to ask 'is it OK if I do this?'.

that's the point but I'm not taking anything away from your statements on the murder, which I have no knowledge of.

jp

understand exactly what you say and why it appeals at times and also the positive side of it. and this certainly was not aimed at anyone on the forum.

simply that my experience is that it is so often used as a justification by those who have acted without regard for others - on many levels. i'm a million miles from perfect but if ii ever hear myself thinking that, i know i have acted poorly.

[LLC]

I hear you, but it is also very common in the corporate world as well. It means to trust your gut and take a chance on an opportunity instead of going through the proper channels of paperwork or whatever you would need to in order to officially line things up.

Leaders are usually more impressed with someone that makes decisions in the field and gets things done than someone that is always stopping to ask 'is it OK if I do this?'.

jp

Well said and more my take on when it is appropriate.

[LLC]

I hear you, but it is also very common in the corporate world as well. It means to trust your gut and take a chance on an opportunity instead of going through the proper channels of paperwork or whatever you would need to in order to officially line things up.

Leaders are usually more impressed with someone that makes decisions in the field and gets things done than someone that is always stopping to ask 'is it OK if I do this?'.

jp

Well said and more my take on when it is appropriate.

[mychetboy]

A few to ponder:

If you cant fix it..f*ck it.

Buy once; cry once

Why be patient when instant gratification exists?

Money is only something you need if you don't die tomorrow.

[Philski]

Leaders are usually more impressed with someone that makes decisions in the field and gets things done than someone that is always stopping to ask 'is it OK if I do this?'.

That only holds true if they get it right. I don't think Nick Leeson's bosses were very impressed at all...

[mychetboy]

nothing personal but for me, this one is a load of crap and incredibly selfish. it basically means i'll screw whoever i want and then worry about.

it is, word-perfect, how they described baden-clay (for non-aussies, just convicted of murdering his wife in a high profile trial).

again, nothing personal but my experience is that every single time i have heard someone use that, it is because they have acted as a complete and total tosser and think it justifies themselves.

I agree with Ken from a personal relationship perspective. I would never want to hurt or screw over a fellow friend with this type of excuse. But as an inventor and risk taker in the technology arena, I must have this type of attitude in order for any type of breakthru idea to get going or implemented...sometimes (likely) middle and upper management get in the way of innovation and this is where this quote most applies to me in my daily life.

[polarbear]

nothing personal but for me, this one is a load of crap and incredibly selfish. it basically means i'll screw whoever i want and then worry about.

it is, word-perfect, how they described baden-clay (for non-aussies, just convicted of murdering his wife in a high profile trial).

again, nothing personal but my experience is that every single time i have heard someone use that, it is because they have acted as a complete and total tosser and think it justifies themselves.

No offence taken

Truth be told, I've never looked at it from a selfish or negative point of view.

I guess, to me, it's always meant "do what is necessary, despite the consequences"

You can take any feel good or inspirational maxim and twist into a negative if you try hard enough.

I guess Im not wired in such a way.

Another maxim I subscribe to is "Do unto others"

[TheDistrictJP]

Not at all but I can see where if you've never been in the situation before it could devolve into some of the things mentioned like murder and insider trading, lol. What I was talking about was where the only consequences are being admonished for not following procedure. Of course you understand the consequences or it changes the context entirely.

A good example is when a server is down, and you absolutely know that changing a setting and bouncing it will resolve the issue, and real people are affected right now. Procedure says you need some upper level manager approval, an emergency change request and or worse official outage scheduling in order to do so. Knowing that your boss would support your actions, you just freaking bounce the stupid thing and move on, saving the day. When your boss eventually circles back around you to slap your hand for not following procedure, he winks at you because he knows that you also got people back on line. That's the whole point.

cheers,

jp

[airtrade]

You can't argue with stupid!

Don't confuse me with the facts.

Good, Fast and Cheap! You can only pick two!

[cigcars]

*How 'bout: "If you don't know where you're going...any road will take you there"

[saintsmokealot]

Never argue with a fool. People from a distance can't tell who is who.

[jat]

One I tell my sons in these days of instant everything, "Just because you can, dosen't mean you have to." suppose to make them think about their actions. Still waiting for it to sink in.