6. Remember your please and thank-you's. Nothing
in life is guaranteed to you. If you'd like something, ask for it
nicely. If you get it, be sure to thank whoever gave it to you. Even
if you believe you deserve it, a humble and gracious attitude will serve
you well.
5. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Following Number 6 here would be a good start. If people come to find that you're a good-natured person, it will stick with them. However, if other people's first impression of you is less than desireable, you'll have to work overtime to convince them otherwise. I am not the slightest bit worried though. Just flash them that million dollar smile, and you'll be fine (it definitely worked on me).
4. Be accountable. Say what you mean,
and mean what you say. The best friends you'll have in your life are
those that you can rely on (and who also know they can rely on you).
The world has plenty of people who will tell you one thing, and mean
another. Don't be one of them.
3. Always remember the golden rule. "Do
unto others, as you would have them do unto you." As you make your way
through life, be mindful of the decisions you make, and the impact it
will have on those around you. As to how you interact with other
people, take a moment to think how you'd feel if they treated you that
way. If you wouldn't want to be treated that way, chances are they
wouldn't either.
2. Use good judgment. As your namesake
would tell you, this is less a piece of advice and more a way of life.
Trust me, you're going to hear it a lot. There's one person, and one
person only, that has to take responsibility for all of the decisions
you make, and that's you. So when it comes to those decisions, make
sure you're comfortable with them, because they're yours and yours
alone. And since this is such an important lesson, I'll give you some
context. It scares me to contemplate how early I'll need to drill this
into your head, but the internet is forever. There was no internet when
I was a kid, let alone e-mail, facebook and twitter. This will present
you with some many opportunities to connect with other parts of the
world, but no matter what you think about the people you come in contact
with, know this: everything out there is public. Here's a rule of
thumb for you. If you're going to write something, picture me reading
it back to you at the dinner table in front of your mother. If you
wouldn't to want hear it, don't write it. In fact, just stay off the
computer in general. Go outside! Ride a bike! I'm always up for some
catch (I don't even care what we're throwing... a football, a frisbee, a
baseball... just ask)!
1. Love your mother. Cam, this one is
very important. No one in your life will love you as much as she does,
and no one will give as much of themselves to you as she does. Because
of those reasons, amongst many others, she deserves your love and
respect, and you should treat her accordingly. Number 6 is very
important here; it lets her know that you appreciate her. Number 4 is
important as well; you'll never have to wonder whether she's accountable
to you, and you should extend to her the same courtesy. Number 3 goes
without saying. And while I'm on the subject, treat all of the women in
your life with respect. As a man, this is an important lesson for you
to learn, and any son of mine will learn it well.
