Blast from the past: Mr. Stupids First Rule of Life

Blast from the past: Mr. Stupids First Rule of Life

It originally appeared here on January 10, 2006.

Since then, time has passed but not much else has changed.

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Mr. Stupid's First Rule of Life

That would be me — one of my many identities. The rule: "Anytime anything that's supposed to do something doesn't, check to make sure it's plugged in." The First Corollary: "If it's battery–powered, put in new batteries." These two seemingly for–the–brain–dead–only statements will suffice to solve about 80% of equipment–related problems. The corollary certainly fixed my Bluetooth mouse just now; it's been losing contact and intermittently not working for days but it shaped right up once I changed the batteries.

Other useful principles and sayings:

• 80% of success in business is a result of returning all phone calls the same day. You don't have to talk to anyone; in fact, I often wait till after business hours to return a call I might've responded to earlier simply because for one reason or another I don't want to talk to that person just then. I leave a voice message saying I returned their call of earlier today; that's sufficient to buy a delay until tomorrow or later. Obviously, this rule is a specialized case of the Woody Allen 80% rule re: life.

• When someone tells you that you must do something immediately that requires some of your money, and if you don't do it now you'll lose the chance to take part, always, Always, ALWAYS say "no thank you." You will never see your money again with 99+% of such investment "opportunities."

• People who ask you to give them a break on price always cause more trouble than those who pay full freight without quibbling.

Sent from my iPhone