25 Principles for Successful Adulting

25 Principles for Successful Adulting

Adulting is hard. These 25 Principles from John Barlow make it easier.

"Adult Principle #1: Be patient. No matter what.

Adult Principle #2: Don’t badmouth: Assign responsibility, not blame. Say nothing of another you wouldn’t say to him.

Adult Principle #3: Never assume the motives of others are, to them, less noble than yours are to you.

Adult Principle #4: Expand your sense of the possible.

Adult Principle #5: Don’t trouble yourself with matters you truly cannot change.

Adult Principle #6: Don’t ask more of others than you can deliver yourself.

Adult Principle #7: Tolerate ambiguity.

Adult Principle #8: Laugh at yourself frequently.

Adult Principle #9: Concern yourself with what is right rather than who is right.

Adult Principle #10: Try not to forget that, no matter how certain, you might be wrong.

Adult principle #11: Give up blood sports.

Adult principle #12: Remember that your life belongs to others as well. Do not endanger it frivolously. And never endanger the life of another.

Adult principle #13: Never lie to anyone for any reason.

Adult principle #14: Learn the needs of those around you and respect them.

Adult principle #15: Avoid the pursuit of happiness. Seek to define your mission and pursue that.

Adult principle #16: Reduce your use of the first personal pronoun.

Adult principle #17: Praise at least as often as you disparage.

Adult principle #18: Never let your errors pass without admission.

Adult principle #19: Become less suspicious of joy.

Adult principle #20: Understand humility.

Adult principle #21: Forgive.

Adult principle #22: Foster dignity.

Adult principle #23: Live memorably.

Adult principle #24: Love yourself.

Adult principle #25: Endure."

Thank you for these John Barlow, and for everything you've done to facilitate an open, neutral, Internet. John believed in reframing life's difficulties into challenges and adventures, and as such his words speak directly to the heart of our self love movement. John was the founder of the Electronic Freedom Foundation. He died last week at the age of 70.