I was reading an article the other day about more effective blogging. One of its suggestions was to publish lists. As you know, I’m not a fan of lists. But I’m nothing if not open-minded. So, I resolved to give it a shot.
Here are the five things you must do every day to survive, in business or in your personal life:
- Make sure you have a pulse. When I turned 40, I resolved to keep a stethoscope by my bed because you can’t be too careful. Every morning, I sit up, turn off my alarm, stick the stethoscope in my ears, and make sure my ticker’s still going strong. So far, so good.
- Breathe. I know this one seems something like reflexive or intuitive. But I know lots of people who’ve been holding their breaths for things that will just never happen. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat for as long as you can. Carry on.
- Move. The only people who’ve been able to accomplish anything by staying in bed were John and Yoko. And their ostensible achievement was dubious, at best. Do something. Anything.
- Make money. I’ve actually managed to live with no money at all. I didn’t mind it a bit. My friends, my family, and my creditors, however, seemed to take terrific exception to it. But don’t worry. If you heed #3, you’ll likely stumble into something remunerative, if not constructive.
- Think. This one may be the most challenging. Since we live in a world that increasingly favors conformity over creativity, homogeneity over differentiation, and following rules intended to separate us from them, thinking will very likely put you at risk. Take the risk. Safety doesn’t make life worth living.
If none of these things seem to be making a difference in the probability of your survival, don’t call me. Rather, call 1-800-OMG-HELP to speak with a Certified Survival Counselor. If the Counselor’s advice strikes you as garden-variety common sense, go to www.killerblogs.com and read as many lists as you can.
Good luck.
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Image by johnhain, courtesy of pixabay.com.