15 Life Lessons I Will Teach My Son

I recently became a father, and I know it is my responsibility to guide my son through life, to impart my wisdom to him. While I’ve never really considered myself a particularly wise person, I have learned a few things along the way. And I fully intend on sharing those life rules with him as he grows up.

1. Avoid fights if possible. There’s usually a better way to solve the problem.

It’s almost always better to talk something out. Generally, an issue is more completely resolved with words than violence. That being said, sometimes you have to defend yourself (or someone else) and sometimes somebody just deserves it.

2. If you ever get into a fight, don’t ever lose.

Losing a fight really sucks. You end up in pain, and all that you got out of it is proof that you’re inferior to your opponent. If you do lose, don’t make excuses. Admit you got your ass kicked and move on.

3. NEVER hit a woman.

This is completely and totally unacceptable. There is no possible justification. Just don’t do it.

4. Always have your people’s back.

Whether that means bringing them soup in the hospital, spending the evening talking to someone you really don’t want to so they can hook up, or taking their side in an argument even if you know that they’re being an asshole, back them up.

5. Always be gentle and patient with children and animals.

They don’t know any better and can’t help it. You do and can. You have to be the bigger man, no matter how frustrated you get.

6. Be a good father.

You don’t have to be the world’s best father, or even a great one, but be a good one. You deliberately took actions that resulted in the creation of a human life. You are responsible for that life, and you have responsibilities to that life.

7. Love yourself.

You are amazing. Never forget that. The world and the people in it will constantly drag you down if you allow it, but they can’t if you don’t let them. Plus, you can never truly love anyone or anything else if you don’t love yourself first.

8. Always be polite and a gentleman

Politeness just makes everything easier and more pleasant. Being impolite can only make a situation worse, never better. Everybody prefers a gentleman.

9. Make mistakes and learn from them.

Life is a learning process, and some of the most valuable lessons come from mistakes. Often, you’ll never know what you like or want until you’ve experienced what you don’t. Sometimes a mistake will end up being an experience that you treasure for the rest of your life, even if it teaches you what not to do next time.

10. Always see things from the other person’s point of view.

Everyone has their own point of view, and all of their actions and reactions are based on it. Seeing it their way not only gives you greater sympathy and understanding for them, but also helps you anticipate what they’re going to do and decide what your best course of action for dealing with them is.

11. Don’t be a pussy. Go for it.

If you want something, try and get it without hesitation. Even if there’s only a 1% chance of success, that’s much better than the 0% chance if you don’t try. Fear and indecision will get you nowhere in life.Nobody likes or respects a whiny little bitch, and being one will cause you to miss out on so much of what life has to offer.

12. Sometimes you have to hurt someone. Don’t beat yourself up about it forever.

Life is messy and extremely complicated. You’re going to end up hurting people and letting people down. Sometimes, you can’t avoid hurting someone, or you have to hurt them now so that you don’t hurt them worse later on. It’s perfectly natural (and admirable) to feel bad about it, but you do need to forgive yourself eventually.

13. Avoid hurting others when possible.

Pain, whether physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual, is by definition unpleasant. No one wants to feel pain, and no one should ever want to inflict it. There is way too much pain and suffering in the world to add to it needlessly.

14. Always choose the more fun option. You’ll always regret it otherwise.

You only get one chance at life. Enjoy the fuck out of it. You can’t predict the future. All you know that you have is right now.

15. Don’t get caught.

It’s the number one rule of life.