Bromby's 7 Rules for Living

These are Bromby's fundamentals for living. I'm passionate about these. I may turn this into a book someday - but for now I think you can get the same impact from these bite sized chunks.

1. Own your problems - all of them- even if they are not your fault - even if they are beyond your control. You cannot evade reality - and only when you own the hard facts of your reality are you empowered to do anything about them. Do whatever is necessary to make your reality better - do not appeal to others to improve your situation. Do not expect government, friends, colleagues or favours to give you the life that you want. This is the path of the victim or the parasite - be neither. Take every action necessary to improve your situation and don't take shortcuts.

2. Resist the allure of easy gains - they are an illusion. We have all heard of situations where people have become rich or successful quickly or with little effort. Either through schemes, political pull or fraud. Remove all such notions from your mind. Aggressively vanquish the mirage of easy wealth from your thinking - it is a waste of valuable mental energy.

3. Don't play the lottery. A one dollar lottery ticket every week is far more costly to you than the ticket itself. The real cost is mental and creative energy you spend during that week imagining all the wonderful things you would do with that money. Again this is the allure of effortless wealth robbing you of your vital ambition. You need to stay hungry. Vigilantly remove all other options for wealth so that the only possible avenue for wealth is the only one that is not a mirage.

4. Live to create value. A human's most noble pursuit is productive activity that creates something (either tangible or intangible) that is of value to others. Strive to expand and refine your capacity to create value. If you can create millions of dollars in value for others - you will be paid with millions of dollars. All other avenues to wealth are an illusion.

5. Revel in your ambition. I've seen many would-be entrepreneurs fade and vanish because at some level they feel that ambition is wrong. It's a fundamental part of our culture to believe that great ambition is accompanied by inevitable destruction or atonement. We've seen it in every Shakespearian tragedy and Hollywood movie. It's a lie - you create your own reality. There is nothing immoral about creating something of value, and trading it honestly with other consenting individuals for a profit. I assert that in fact nothing is more moral.

6. Don't be paralyzed by the urge to 'give back' before you have anything to give. Take comfort in the fact that you are creating something of value and being self sufficient so that you are not a burden on others. Later you will contribute to socitey in a bigger way by employing others. Eventually you will be in a position to be philanthropic in a truly substantial way.

7. Be good to yourself. You aren't a machine - if you don't enjoy yourself you'll burn out. This isn't just a footnote to soften the impact of the previous six points. This is an imperative and the fundamental reason to following the other six rules. These rules for living are not about making a better society, improving the economy or pleasing your parents. This is all about you and only you. Make your life the life you want it to be and enjoy the entire journey - not just the destination.

- Bromby