[January 31, 2022] For years now, I’ve been asked to give advice to young men and women about how to live a successful life. I’m humbled by their requests but like all people, I have a biased view. Now, I am asking my readers to please give me their input. What do you think is important to have a good life.
Humans have asked themselves what makes for a successful life since the beginning of time. The idea that we may never find the answers is, I think, is wrong. We have the answers, they are just many and complex. My goal is to distill them into a short book titled “Good Life Lessons for Young Adults.”
Listed below are 85 possible chapter titles. Please pick 10 and then pick 1. And debate them with one another. Thank you.
- Know yourself (strengths and weaknesses)
- Do not lie, cheat, or steal (or get sandblasted by reality)
- Be a cheerleader for your team (carry the guidon)
- Bullies and Jerks, Alcohol and Drugs, & Peer Pressure
- Popularity and Respect
- School, teachers, and principles
- Suffering (chose your sacrifice)
- Personal Character (honesty and loyalty)
- Learn to read well, write clearly, and speak plainly
- Good sportsmanship and good manners
- How to face your fears
- Wear your helmet, clean your rifle, and make your bed
- Never surrender your sword (never give up)
- Tell stories of heroes & their deeds
- Take care of your soldiers (leaders eat last)
- Lock shields, hold the team guidon (adopt responsibility)
- Never, ever betray your brothers
- Face the enemy
- Get used to cold showers (Discipline)
- Share your foxhole only with strong men
- Walk with a big stick
- Obey the rules, be the best and prepared to break them
- Protect the weak and innocent
- Don’t do stupid things (don’t panic)
- Find your mission
- Loyalty and Integrity
- Life is hard, get over it.
- Good enough is not good enough
- A philosophy of success
- Surround yourself with good people (need better title)
- Ask the right question
- Be All You Can Be, and More
- The secret, how to determine your goals (intent, action plan, time frame)
- How to set your life’s goal and your priorities
- How to be likeable
- How to stop bullies
- How to deal with a bad teacher
- How to deal with stress and fear
- How to stop wasting your time
- How to do well in school
- How to enjoy life
- How to find a mentor and what they can do for you
- Important things to know about school and your teachers
- What knowing a little history can do for you
- Work vs school
- Family life and getting along
- How to resist peer pressure
- Three things you can do today to feel better about yourself
- Dating and relationships
- Friends and Enemies
- What exercise can do for you
- Dogs and pets
- Clothes, cars, music, and fashion
- Sports
- Social media
- Gaming
- Celebrities
- Guns, Knives, and Explosives
- Farm animals
- Food, cooking, and eating right
- Alcohol and Drugs
- 21 things you should know how to do (and some that didn’t make the list)
- Hobbies, yoga and skiing
- Safety, is it your top priority?
- Sleep and what it can do for you
- Wake up early and make your bed properly
- Should I join the U.S. military? The Peace Corps? Boy Scouts?
- Should I join a school sports team? A school debate team?
- The upside and down side to volunteering
- It’s not about getting a truck, tattoo, beer, cigar, or pretty clothes
- Reading, writing, and arithmetic
- Books you should read (make the time, do it)
- Make a plan and schedule your time, but don’t make yourself a slave
- How to get organized
- Accepting criticism and having a thick skin
- Do something different and heroic
- You are way more than you think
- Be prepared, like the Boy Scout motto
- How to focus and pay attention to those around you
- Support those who know how to fight and win
- You will be harshly judged by others, get over it
- What is your greatest asset?
- Defining success, happiness, and satisfaction; they aren’t the same
- Don’t bullshit yourself
- Humility, how it is your best friend
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Please read my new book, “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” at Amazon (link here).
Just sent mine in email to Gen. Satterfield. I hope the rest of you did too. 👍
I emailed Gen. Satterfield at douglas.r.satterfield@gmail.com with my full list but I wanted to share what some of my friends thought what Number 1 would be. Most said #22 Obey the rules, be the best and prepared to break them. That surprised me.
Silly Man, now that is interesting. I would have picked “do not lie, cheat, or steal.” But of course, I’m much older that those young whipper snappers. Ha Ha. Anyway, if others have a list of what their friends are telling them, let us know. Not to unduly influence what young folks think is number one, but also if you are older, what do you think. Gen. Satterfield has given us a chance to have input into a new book of his, let’s all cooperate and have an impact on this thinking.
Same here Doug Smith. And I’m not “old.” ✔️
Same here. Mail your input today *** and purchase his book yesterday. 🇯🇵🇯🇵🇯🇵
What a great list. I agree that you should add humor to this list.
Hi Gen. Satterfield, sending my choices via e:mail. Humility is your best friend. Oh, I would add “humor” somehow to your list. 🇦🇺
Same here, NZ Man. You gave me the idea and pow, I got it.
Welcome, Jonny McB.
#26 Loyalty and Integrity
Number one for me.
I mailed my list to Gen. Satterfield’s email address. I hope others do the same. Oh, please mention us in your forward to this new book. And, let us know when it comes out. I want a copy ASAP.
Hey Lynn, saw your movie review. Well done! 😊
Yeah, sent mine via email.
I’m new to your blog, Gen. Satterfield. From what I see, you are very popular. I hope to be able to contribute to this forum and bounce around some ideas.
Welcome aboard. ✔️
After some thought, here is my list of the top 10 that I would like to read about (which is not necessarily what a young person would want):
1, 2, 8, 9, 14, 19, 20, 24, 35, 76.
Best of the lost, #1.
#2, 3, 11, 29, 35, 39, 76, 78, 80, 84. Bonus #1)
I would put No. 1 and number 1. Otherwise, I agree with your list. No quibbling by me.
Yep, numero uno is numero uno. 🇧🇷
No. 59 “Farm animals.” What the heck is this one about?
Actually I would rather first read what the information that Gen. Satterfield has under each item before I pick.
I think this is the point that Gen. Satterfield is asking what attracts us to the subject just by the title alone. What would attract me, however, and most of the readers here may not be what a young person would be attracted to. That is why he is asking. Gen. S. knows that those who read this leadership blog are more mature, by definition. He is appealing to those with less experience and lesser character. How do they ‘see’ the list and perhaps what they might value?
Max, you nailed it. So, what is your pick?
#83, Defining success, happiness, and satisfaction; they aren’t the same
I would ask that Gen. Satterfield write an article on this one. Several here are deserving of his input.
Oh, I’m not socialist Bernie running for president.
Many of these are just downright funny (a bit of humor gets your attention).
“It’s not about getting a truck, tattoo, beer, cigar, or pretty clothes”
That’s my favorite for funny. Number uno? Too hard to pick.
😊
How about #35?
No. 1 is number 1. If you don’t know yourself, and can admit your faults, you are screwed.
I say #2, Do not lie, cheat, or steal (or get sandblasted by reality) is top dog in this list.
I agree Eagle Eye. That’s what you have, an eagle eye for the truth and the most important of all in this list.
How about “Personal Character (honesty and loyalty)” 😊
84. Don’t bullshit yourself
Found this one to be the best. Of course, the BS part might have to be toned down. Nope, keep the bullshit part.
A lot of new ideas here. Someone wrote that the list follows the long-term themes of this leadership blog but I think there are some new ones here and that is good. Now, to put it into book form. That will not be easy but i know that Gen. Satterfield can do it.
Yep! Always looking to outdo himself, Gen. Satterfield has once again nailed it.
Numbers 1 and 2 are probably the top ones for me.
WOW, great list. Not many I would get rid of or ignore. Keep the entire list. Maybe consider putting some together. I like the idea of integrating your “bigmama’s” comments into them.
Or your military experience too. I see several have the military theme, keep it as your focus. Well, I think that would work best for you, Gen. Satterfield. I’ll push this out to some of my friends and see what they have to say. Stay on this. I look forward to reading your book!
Yes, the military as a theme. THE US ARMY. Yep, make it so. ✔
Yes, great list. I’ve been reading this blog a long time now and this list surely summarizes the main topics and themes.
Walk with a big stick … and be ready to bang a few heads.
Das gipt as nur, Texas.