Sometimes attacking fast and quick is victorious and successful. The risk is that you teach the enemy their own strength. There’s always the risk that you waken the sleeping giant. You win the battle and lose the war.

Fern : Bo never knew his parents, and we never had kids. If I didn’t stay, if I left, it would be like he never existed. I couldn’t pack up and move on. He loved Empire. He loved his work so much. He loved being there, everybody loved him. So I stayed. Same town, same house. Just like my dad used to say: “What’s remembered lives.” I maybe spent too much of my life just remembering, Bob.

Nomadland – https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9770150/characters/nm0000531

Life is about the detours and accidents. The flat tires, good food, fights and friends, running for the train, missing the train, reunions, breaking bread. Remembering isn’t living. Living makes memories.

Amateurs are shocked and surprised when shit happens. They don’t think it’ll happen to them so why would they ever need a mitigation plan? It’s a dangerous cocktail of hubris and inexperience.

Professionals are just as shocked and surprised when plans fail, but they have a plan B. They accept that things go wrong or single points of failure emerge – but they also mitigate these risks by planning for the downside and learning from past mistakes.

Share the burden and ask for help.

I wish I had learned this trick early on in life. It’s amazing who appears when surrender and ask for help.

Don’t hold grudges. But still keep the score.

The act of forgiveness doesn’t mean you forget what happened. We are still accountable. Some consequences last a lifetime.

Forgiveness is about closure. Forgive yourself and keep moving, but don’t block out what you experienced and don’t pretend it didn’t happen.

Don’t be a sucker for punishment. Stop associating with nasty and selfish people.

Forgive, don’t hold a grudge, and remember.

“Life really does begin at forty. Up until then, you are just doing research.”

Carl Jung

The older I get the more I appreciate what I have.

Family, old friends, gratefulness and physical health are happiness compounders that kick-in later in life

People remember compliments years later.

Unfortunately they also also remember cutting insults.

Create good memories. Be kind and think before you speak or tweet.

People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.

Emerson

Predictions on how 2021 will unfold in politics. COVID-19, and the economy will tell you more about the person pontificating than the prediction itself.

Once you’ve tasted something like power, leadership, relationships with people who push you and make you grow, a risk with high returns, endorphin kicks – it’s hard to go back. You’ve unlocked a new level in the game and the only way is up and over.

"It's hard when you’ve been playing in Vegas at the $25 table to go back down to the $5 table. It’s just not as emotionally interesting.”

– John Arnold on why he shut down rather than run a smaller fund

That dynamic probably applies across different fields / games.

— Graham Duncan (@GrahamDuncanNYC) November 25, 2020

Braggadocio, big egos and little men who pound their chests accomplish a lot in a small amount of time, but the aftermath is burned bridges, one-way doors and a transactional culture. The last 4 years of American politics is a good example of how damaging this type of high octane ego fueled leadership can be. It’s the same for companies and communities.

Don’t just avoid working with chest pounders, flee from them. It’s not worth it. When they flame out, they push the ejection button without you, leaving you to go down in flames. Their stain rubs off on you.

Compassion, kindness and soft power take time and translates into sustainability, rich journeys and life long bonds. Be patient, laugh and work with people who share the same values. Choose wisely, it’s worth it.