My Father is a kind man respected by all – but here’s the thing – he is a man of few words. He is a hard worker that likes to explain things through actions. My Father is a very practical man. He taught me the essentials: how to ride a bike and how to put up a tent by a campfire. He taught me how to manage my money by counting out all of the two pence pieces that I had saved up in my piggy bank. He never tried to impart his knowledge on me; he encouraged me to dream and showed me how to do so.
I learned through imitation. Instead of telling me to do things, he showed me how to do them. He encouraged me. My Father leads by example and has always told me to just pitch in.
These are the many lessons that I have learned from my Father throughout my life. Here are just 20 that he taught me.
- 1 | Honesty is an attractive quality.
2 | Kindness to others and good manners are the most important things to keep in mind.
3 | Stand tall. Shoulders back, head held high, eyes to the sky because you never know what opportunity might come by.
4 | Sport teaches you discipline, teamwork and empathy. The best thing in the world is to spend time with a group of people all trying to achieve the same goal.
5 | Prove your worth – not because you have to, but because you are proud to express what you have learned.
6 | Be humble in your attitude and help others to achieve, because in doing so you are bound to succeed.
7 | Respect your elders, your heritage line, for from them inspiration you shall find.
8 | Don’t be afraid to fail at things, fall from grace and get up again – for sure enough success will prevail.
9 | Be prepared for life and all its setbacks, because if you work hard enough you can do whatever you want to do.
10 | Have conviction in work and in life. Be true to yourself and follow your gut instinct.
11 | Be a warrior in attitude and ambition. If you want it go and get it, no one will ever hand you things on a plate.
12 | Be bold in your life choices and don’t hold back.
13 | Manage your pocket money, allowance and salary well – don’t throw it away on careless ventures, instead spend it on adventures!
14 | If you think what you are doing is dangerous – don’t tell your mother – keep it between each other.
15 | Develop your mental toughness by putting yourself in challenging situations. Build your own future. Be courageous.
16 | Music is escapism; listen to the lyrics and find your vibe.
17 | Commitment is important in life, so stay focused and do what you say you are going to do.
18 | Never be afraid to admit your mistakes.
19 | Keep a level head. In life people will be angry at you, jealous of you and dislike you. Remember that if you wake up happy with who you are each day it does not matter what they think.
20 | Be authentic – just be yourself.
These 20 lines express the worldly wisdom that my Father imparted on me. A courageous nearly 60 year old ex-military man. His lessons taught and continue to teach me values that set him apart for he wears all of them on his sleeves. The questions that he has asked me throughout my life have challenged me to find out who I am and – most importantly – who I will become 20 years from now.
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