Here are Brandon's "Five Rules For Life":
1.) Today is a gift.
Mike Ditka said this and it's one of the truest things I have ever heard. I don’t know the exact quote, but the gist of it is:
“Yesterday is gone, you can't do anything about what happened. None of us know if tomorrow will even come, so worrying about it is pointless. All we have is now, they call it the present because it's a gift.”
You never know what's going to happen - enjoy the now and don't have regrets.
2.) Stop screwing around with small tasks.
I sat down once and analyzed my business to determine what activities I do that make the most money. I determined that some of the activities I do are worth thousands of dollars an hour, but I wasted a lot of time doing stuff I could hire someone else to do for a few dollars an hour. Why was I wasting effort on that work when my time was worth so much more? I don't know, but I don't do it anymore. Outsource everything you can, then see if you missed anything else that can be outsourced.
3.) Perfectionism is a disease.
Avoid it, because none of us are perfect.
4.) Find someone you can mentor.
I've learned more by teaching others than by any other thing I have done. It has enriched my life in too many ways to count.
5.) Read and always learn.
Only 20% of Americans will ever read a book once they graduate from college. That is a tragic statistic. Reading enriches your life in more ways than you can imagine.
...editor's note - Brandon provided a sixth rule:
6.) Stop screwing around with email and cell phones.
Over the last million years of human existence we could not be reached for extended periods of time; to my knowledge very few people died as a result. So much of our time is robbed by cell phones and email - I bet if a study is done you will find they are among the greatest robbers of time in the world. I got rid of my cell phone, and I only check my email twice a day by design. I feel so much better, and I have not missed out on a single deal as a result (nor has anyone died).
Brandon currently resides in Des Moines, Iowa.
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