Tips, Tricks, and Licks for Young People from a 52-Year-Old Individualist

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today marks the start of the 52 trips around the sun, and I thought I might reflect on some lessons learned.  Yesterday was a good day; I’d like to share that before diving into my wisdom to a younger self.  If you are a gift-buying person, I did register at Kmart in the Blue Light Special Section.   Please make sure you send it to the correct address.

I worked in the morning; we had our monthly sales meeting; as of today, we are 102% to goal; I’m happy with the work of every team member on our squad.  I realized that prospecting is a younger person’s sport; our older team members no longer prospect as they once did, relying on their previous year’s work to allow them to ease into each day.

But our younger team members are busting, hoping, and getting after it; I guess I’m the same way; I don’t work like I’m 35; I work as if I’m 50.  After 30 years of busting my ass, I have slowed down a notch, but I think that I’m working smarter rather than harder.   I left there and had lunch with my friend Paul; he was the one that kept after me about my mother and father’s estate planning; he lost his parents and had a roadmap; he was pretty stern with me.  He asked me some follow-up questions yesterday; I need to do some follow-up work. Thank you, PH.

I worked in the afternoon until 4:30, where I visited a large rooftop bar in Carmel Indiana. The Thompson Group sponsored an event to raise money for a local nonprofit called Fountains of Hope, instead of buying me something from Kmart, could you spare a couple of bucks for these fantastic people.  Go here to learn more: https://www.fountainsofhope.org/  As a brief overview, they provide water systems and food to people that are forced many days to eat dirt, literally.  Let’s help them change the world.

The other reason for our meeting was to bring together some of Indiana’s best and brightest to share food and drink after a pandemic.  I’m officially calling the pandemic over; there was not a mask in sight last night; Red Rocks is back to total capacity in June; let’s get back to real life and stop blaming Covid for your lack of production. It’s time to turn up the heat!

I met many new people, folks that sent LinkedIn messages last night to say they appreciated the time; now that is how one uses LinkedIn.

Ok, here’s my annual list of things I would like to tell my 21-year-old self.  First, be yourself; everyone else is taken.  You do you and let them do them.  Find your vein; it might take time, but soon roll into a rhythm, keep that rhythm, and don’t give two shits about what another thinks of you or your choices; you are you, if they don’t like it, well see you around.

Begin from a position of love, compassion, and understanding, do not prejudge someone give them the same benefit of the doubt you would like to receive.  Every person has a story, and none are alike.  Life is hard, life ebbs and flows, and you must enjoy both.  You don’t learn when you are sailing; you learn when you ebb, so lean into both, but enjoy the flow, enjoy the sail.

Talk to strangers; it’s a simple as holding out your hand and saying your name.  If an average human, they will shake your hand and tell them their name.  the next thing you should say is, “tell me about you?”   Remember, life is not about you; it’s always about the other person; giving, listening, and learning from others is a gift; unwrap it many times a day.

Get up early, from age 22 to 50, I was up at 5:00 a.m. every day, I got a 2-hour jump on my competition, and it allowed for thousands of hours of prep each day that allowed me to outmaneuver many of my competition.  After 50, get up when you choose, but 6:00 a.m. is a great time to wake, find your time and make sure you get adequate sleep.  Sleep is essential.

Feel good, get regular checkups for your mind, body, and spirit.  If you are not doing well, get help; if something hurts, get it fixed, move as much as you can and watch your dietary intake; it’s not hard to eat smart; when you gain a couple, lose them before eating that next piece of cake.   If you have plums, get your testosterone tested after 40, it makes a world of difference, I promise.

Don’t drink; I’ve lived both sober and with drink and found sobriety was a better fit for me, but I love to enjoy a good cocktail.  Drinking is a lazy way to have a good time, and I find myself and my wife lazy these days, just keep it manageable and enjoy; it’s the one area I could improve, just being honest.

Make your damn bed, I know it’s so hard to pull those covers up and reset the pillows, but that is the first significant accomplishment of the day for many.  Your day should be made up of one victory after another, building up to a crenshendo of wins.  Teach your kids this, and they will have an excellent little foundation of pea gravel to begin their foundation.

Travel as much as you can, expanding your mind to other people, places, and things is suitable for a well-rounded life.  If you can, buy a home in another city, become a part of two communities and learn the nuance of each, nouns can be very different.  Be kind, don’t be an asshole. It’s simple, think of others first, then yourself; karma has a way of returning kindness tenfold.  

Never stop learning, keep notes, maybe journal 1000 words a day, share what you know with others even when they may disagree with you.  You don’t learn from those you agree with; you learn from those with a different perspective.  Learning is one thing; teaching allows for mastering a subject.  

There you have it, my annual sharing of my learnings; I might go back and find last years and see if I have learned any new lessons.  My 51st year was my best, I anticipate 52 will be better, and each year will improve before I decide to end my life at 116.  Don’t judge; we all will die; I just want to be in control of that last breath.  Anson Ross Thompson Father, Love, Writer, Teacher, Small Business Owner May 26th, 1969 – May 26th, 2086

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson