[November 8, 2025] Look for generosity and kindness in your friends, especially those who show it across all levels of society. This is a sign of a sincere friend and potential partner. People who are helpful and friendly to those at the lower end of the social hierarchy, such as janitors and servers, and not just kind to those in higher positions, are the kind of people you should be around. Additionally, be generous to yourself. Be productive and gracious, and others will be drawn to you.
An outlook of generous hospitality ensures that life will be abundant. This may seem counterintuitive and old-fashioned, yet it has been proven in communities: those who give more than they take play a vital role in the growth of that community. There is real significance here, found in taking responsibility for yourself, your family, and if you have the extra capacity, for your community and country.
Develop a sense of the essential nobility of the human spirit within yourself and seek it in others. Grasp that nobility in yourself, regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in; regardless of the injustice, undeserving, contemptuousness of it. The spirit of resentment and bitterness may sit on your shoulder, trying to possess you. Remain good and conduct yourself properly, as you would do if you had planned your life the way you want it.
Seek goodness in your friends. Look for those who venture out into the world, bring back what they find, and share it with others. This is an ancient story, just like how our ancestors succeeded in a collective hunt for food, bringing back the meat essential for their families and tribes to survive.
It is acceptable and desirable to surround ourselves with people who aid our development. If they are listening to us and cooperating with us to move toward a better future, then that’s great.
Watch out for people around you who are weak and unskilled, and pretend to be moral and kind. They often showcase their weaknesses as moral virtues and somehow portray them as beneficial to all. They will claim that they are not the mean guy, the bad guy. Instead of admitting their weakness honestly, they use it as a way to cozy up to those they can unfairly exploit.
Ask yourself, “How can I be a better person?”
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Please read my books:
- “55 Rules for a Good Life,” on Amazon (link here).
- “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” on Amazon (link here).
Wow, another home run by gen. Satterfield. I sure hope he keeps these new rules coming.
Sir, do you have another book coming out?
Gen. Satterfield has done an outstanding job with his series on how to live a good life. Get a copy of his book. Or, if I’m right about this, wait until the updated version comes out.
I will start with a shout-out to my US Marine friends. Today, Nov 10, 2025 is the 250th Birthday of the US Marines which started out in Tun Tavern in 1775, east Philly. Now buried under Interstate 95, they are reopening a new one in Philly today with a “soft opening.” And there is one already in Atlantic City, NJ. Have a beer for our US Marines today and never forget their sacrifices.
Go Marines!
🫡
👍👍👍👍👍
Happy Birthday US Marine Corps. I’m not sure that the US Marines are looking for those who are generous and kind, but I’ll still say they want folks who are strong, hard working, tough mentally, and of good character.
Another classic “rule” to make your life better. Now, this is one that I can get behind. Why in the world would we want people around us that make our lives worse! But we do it all the time. Maybe that is human nature, or maybe it’s just that we are stupid. Focus folks. Get good friends.
Exactly. And yet, we regularly being terrible people and marry terrible people, and do so all the time.
I agree with Gen. Satterfield. Why have crazy, nutball friends when you can have good ones in your life. Good advice from the man that knows. You may not control who your family members are, except who you marry, but all others need to be viewed as making a positive contribution to your life.
. . . . . and in your professional collegues.
I see that a long-standing idea of Gen. S. has snuck into this blog post “rule.” And that is the one of “adventure.” Many times it has been pointed out by Gen. S. that to substitute something better than drugs and alcohol that we need an adventure in life. That is how we can pull ourselves away from the drugs and alcohol. One of the best ways, and I’m not sure if Gen. S. pointed it out is to be married and have children. Now, that is indeed a great adventure of a lifetime. Anyway, Dr. Jordan Peterson has said clearly that the only way to maturity is through marriage to a long-term partner. That’s it. You will never be truly happy or satisfied in life without a family that you helped create. Period. Of course, there will be many feminists who jump on this and claim we are trying to “take their freedom away” and this is hogwash. Unmarried women are the unhappiest people you will ever find, despite them telling you otherwise.
“The Quest for Adventure”
https://www.theleadermaker.com/the-quest-for-adventure/
“I’ve been curious – all my life – about my desire for a quest for adventure, a quest purposefully sought. But I never understood why, especially why a scared little kid would want to seek such a quest. I would later learn, through the works of Joseph Campbell and Jordan Peterson, that my childish and confused yearning was part of a universally accepted human experience told in myths and stories that go back further than written language.” … Gen. Doug Satterfield, DA MAN.
Now comes the next obvious question, what will be Rule #59?
VETERANS DAY WILL BE HERE SOON
Sir, I found the following last paragraph from you to be most interesting, not because it was last but it changes the tone of your article completely and gives us a stern warning. I highlight this paragraph because this is exactly what I see happening among our white young (often overweight) Leftist women in the West generally, and very specifically in America. Men, you are warned.’
“Watch out for people around you who are weak and unskilled, and pretend to be moral and kind. They often showcase their weaknesses as moral virtues and somehow portray them as beneficial to all. They will claim that they are not the mean guy, the bad guy. Instead of admitting their weakness honestly, they use it as a way to cozy up to those they can unfairly exploit.’ — Gen. Doug Satterfield
Bernie, good catch. Noticed that also. 👍
Gen. Satterfield, just a short note to say I do appreciate you adding to your original 55 rules for a good life and for writing a fantastic book. I got some copies and gave them to young men that I know. I’ve asked them to read it and get back to me with questions and maybe what they learned or found most interesting. Well done!!!!!!
Great Bible quote from Matthew.
https://godsbless.ing/commentary/matthew/matthew_5_42/
Well done, sir. And thanks for another “rules” to make our lives better. Can you give us a hint into what #59 and #60 will look liker? And will there be more after those? Asking for us all. 🙏
Pastor John, great questions for Gen. Satterfield. I doubt that he will answer because that is part of his pattern to keep us in suspense. His “rules” have been a blessing for me. I’ve been a regular on his leadership blog for at least 8 years now. I don’t read every day but when I do miss a day, i always come back and re-read what I might have missed. what I also like to read are the comments section for additional input onthe rules. That has helped me focus on what is more important in life and to push aside those bad habits and those =things that make my life less good. Now, I’m married with kids. And having a “good life.”
Yusaf, yes, I’m keeping everyone in a suspense. Good of you to point it out. 🤠
Thank you, Gen. Satterfield for another of your “rules” for a good life. I read your book and looks like you are going to be updating it soon. Best of luck.
In his original book, link below, he gives us some really great rules that are proven by thousands of years of human existance, and given ample time and opportunity to foil any of these rules that may not work. Here we are with Gen. Satterfield, giving us several more rules and so far, so good. Loving it. Those who have not read his original book “55 rules for a good life” then you need to get going.
https://www.amazon.com/55-Rules-Good-Life-Responsibility/dp/1737915529/
Well Well Well, here we are with Rule #58, and a doozy at that. Look for certain personality traits in people, and just imagine that should do this so that we are surrounded by good people who will help make us better and make our lives easier. I can just heart the whacko liberals now saying that this is racist. Why? Because we all know that the average black in America is not generous or kind. They are loud and obnoxious, on average. Of course, not all blacks are that way but enough that the black culture has a reputation for course behavior. Black fatigue, as it is being called.