Life's Little Instruction Book: 511 Suggestions, Observations, and Reminders on How to Live a Happy and Rewarding Life

by H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Overview

The #1 New York Times bestseller—now in a fresh new format, offering a new generation simple yet powerful wisdom.

TheLife’s Little Instruction Book series has sold more than ten million copies, spent more than two years atop the New York Times bestseller list, and has been translated into 33 languages. Originally written from a father to a son, the book offers insights, simple suggestions, heartfelt humor, and reminders for readers of all ages. This edition offers a new trim size and on-trend design for a new generation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781418573652
Publisher:	HarperCollins Christian Publishing
Publication date:	08/22/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	315
File size:	868 KB

About the Author

 A New York Times best-selling author, H. Jackson Brown’s publications are universal in appeal, with more than 30 million copies in print, available in 35 languages. His 33 books inspire readers throughout the world. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Read an Excerpt

The Complete Life's Little Instruction Book

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By H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Thomas Nelson

Copyright © 1997 H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4185-7365-2

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CHAPTER 1

1 Compliment three people every day.

2 Have a dog.

3 Watch a sunrise at least once a year.

4 Remember other people's birthdays.

5 Overtip breakfast waitresses.

6 Have a firm handshake.

7 Look people in the eye.

8 Say "thank you" a lot.

9 Say "please" a lot.

10 Learn to play a musical instrument.

11 Sing in the shower.

12 Use the good silver.

13 Learn to make great chili.

14 Plant flowers every spring.

15 Own a great stereo system.

16 Be the first to say, "Hello."

17 Live beneath your means.

18 Buy great books, even if you never read them.

19 Drive inexpensive cars, but own the best house you can afford.

20 Be forgiving of yourself and others.

21 Learn three clean jokes.

22 Wear polished shoes.

23 Floss your teeth.

24 Drink champagne for no reason at all.

25 Ask for a raise when you feel you've earned it.

26 Buy whatever kids are selling on card tables in their front yard.

27 If in a fight, hit first and hit hard.

28 Return all the things you borrow.

29 Teach some kind of class.

30 Be a student in some kind of class.

31 Never buy a house without a fireplace.

32 Once in your life own a convertible.

33 Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.

34 Learn to identify the music of Chopin, Mozart, and Beethoven.

35 Plant a tree on your birthday.

36 Donate two pints of blood every year.

37 Make new friends but cherish the old ones.

38 Keep secrets.

39 Take lots of snapshots.

40 Never refuse homemade brownies.

41 Don't postpone joy.

42 Ask someone to pick up your mail and daily paper when you're out of town. Those are the first two things potential burglars look for.

43 Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen every day.

44 Write "thank you" notes promptly.

45 Show respect for teachers.

46 Show respect for police officers and firefighters.

47 Show respect for military personnel.

48 Don't waste time learning the "tricks of the trade." Instead, learn the trade.

49 Keep a tight rein on your temper.

50 Buy vegetables from truck farmers who advertise with hand-lettered signs.

51 Put the cap back on the toothpaste.

52 Take out the garbage without being told.

53 Avoid overexposure to the sun.

54 Vote.

55 Surprise loved ones with little unexpected gifts.

56 Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.

57 Never mention being on a diet.

58 Make the best of bad situations.

59 Learn to make something beautiful with your hands.

60 Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you.

61 Support a high school band.

62 Admit your mistakes.

63 Use your wit to amuse, not abuse.

64 Remember that all news is biased.

65 Take a photography course.

66 Let people pull in front of you when you're stopped in traffic.

67 Always accept an outstretched hand.

68 Be brave. Even if you're not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.

69 Demand excellence and be willing to pay for it.

70 Whistle.

71 Hug children after you discipline them.

72 Give to charity all the clothes you haven't worn during the past three years.

73 Never forget your anniversary.

74 Eat prunes.

75 Ride a bike.

76 Choose a charity in your community and support it generously with your time and money.

77 Slow dance.

78 Steer clear of restaurants with strolling musicians.

79 Don't take good health for granted.

80 When someone wants to hire you, even if it's for a job you have little interest in, talk to them. Never close the door on an opportunity until you've had a chance to hear the offer in person.

81 Don't mess with drugs, and don't associate with those who do.

82 Avoid sarcastic remarks.

83 In business and in family relationships, remember that the most important thing is trust.

84 Forget the Joneses.

85 Never encourage anyone to become a lawyer.

86 Don't smoke.

87 Even if you're financially well-to-do, have your children earn and pay part of their college tuition.

88 Even if you're financially well-to-do, have your children earn and pay for all their automobile insurance.

89 Recycle old newspapers, bottles, and cans.

90 Refill ice cube trays.

91 Never invest more in the stock market than you can afford to lose.

92 Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come ninety percent of all your happiness or misery.

93 Make it a habit to do nice things for people who'll never find it out.

94 Lend only those books you never care to see again.

95 Don't let anyone ever see you tipsy.

96 Attend class reunions.

97 Always have something beautiful in sight, even if it's just a daisy in a jelly glass.

98 Know how to type.

99 Read the Bill of Rights.

100 Learn how to read a financial report.

101 Tell your kids often how terrific they are and that you trust them.

102 Take a brisk thirty-minute walk every day.

103 Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures.

104 Use credit cards only for convenience, never for credit.

105 Treat yourself to a massage on your birthday.

106 Never cheat.

107 Smile a lot. It costs nothing and is beyond price.

108 Know how to drive a stick shift.

109 Spread crunchy peanut butter on Pepperidge Farm Gingerman cookies for the perfect late-night snack.

110 Never use profanity.

111 When dining with clients or business associates, never order more than one cocktail or one glass of wine. If no one else is drinking, don't drink at all.

112 Never argue with police officers, and address them as "officer."

113 Learn to identify local wildflowers, birds, and trees.

114 Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and car.

115 Give yourself a year and read the Bible cover to cover.

116 Consider writing a living will.

117 Install dead bolt locks on outside doors.

118 Don't buy expensive wine, luggage, or watches.

119 Put a lot of little marshmallows in your hot chocolate.

120 Learn CPR.

121 Resist the temptation to buy a boat.

122 Stop and read historical roadside markers.

123 Respect your children's privacy. Knock before entering their room.

124 Learn to listen. Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly.

125 Know how to change a tire.

126 Know how to tie a bow tie.

127 Wear audacious underwear under the most solemn business attire.

128 Remember people's names.

129 Introduce yourself to the manager where you bank. It's important that he or she knows you personally.

130 Learn the capitals of the states.

131 Visit Washington, D.C., and do the tourist bit.

132 Leave the toilet seat in the down position.

133 When someone is relating an important event that's happened to them, don't try to top them with a story of your own. Let them have the stage.

134 Have crooked teeth straightened.

135 Have dull-colored teeth whitened.

136 Keep your watch five minutes fast.

137 Learn Spanish. In a few years, more than thirty-five percent of all Americans will speak it as their first language.

138 Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.

139 When starting out, don't worry about not having enough money. Limited funds are a blessing, not a curse. Nothing encourages creative thinking in quite the same way.

140 Give yourself an hour to cool off before responding to someone who has provoked you. If it involves something really important, give yourself overnight.

141 Keep a flashlight and extra batteries under the bed and in the glove box of your car.

142 Don't buy cheap tools. Craftsman tools from Sears are among the best.

143 Pay your bills on time.

144 Join a slow-pitch softball league.

145 Take someone bowling.

146 When playing games with children, let them win.

147 Turn off the television at dinner time.

148 Learn to handle a pistol and rifle safely.

149 Skip one meal a week and give what you would have spent to a street person.

150 Sing in a choir.

151 Get acquainted with a good lawyer, accountant, and plumber.

152 Fly Old Glory on the Fourth of July.

153 Stand at attention and put your hand over your heart when singing the national anthem.

154 Resist the temptation to put a cute message on your answering machine.

155 Have a will and tell your next-of-kin where it is.

156 Strive for excellence, not perfection.

157 Take time to smell the roses.

158 Pray not for things, but for wisdom and courage.

159 Be tough minded but tenderhearted.

160 Use seat belts.

161 Have regular medical and dental checkups.

162 Keep your desk and work area neat.

163 Take an overnight train trip and sleep in a Pullman.

164 Be punctual and insist on it in others.

165 Don't scrimp in order to leave money to your children.

166 Don't waste time responding to your critics.

167 Avoid negative people.

168 Resist telling people how something should be done. Instead, tell them what needs to be done. They will often surprise you with creative solutions.

169 Be original.

170 Be neat.

171 Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts.

172 Be kinder than necessary.

173 Be suspicious of all politicians.

174 Encourage your children to have a part-time job after the age of sixteen.

175 Give people a second chance, but not a third.

176 Read carefully anything that requires your signature. Remember the big print giveth and the small print taketh away.

177 Learn to recognize the inconsequential; then ignore it.

178 Do battle against prejudice and discrimination wherever you find it.

179 Never take action when you're angry.

180 Be your wife's best friend.

181 Be romantic.

182 Let people know what you stand for—and what you won't stand for.

183 Don't quit a job until you've lined up another.

184 Never criticize the person who signs your paycheck. If you are unhappy with your job, resign.

185 Wear out, don't rust out.

186 Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.

187 Be insatiably curious. Ask "why" a lot.

188 Measure people by the size of their hearts, not the size of their bank accounts.

189 Have good posture. Enter a room with purpose and confidence.

190 Don't worry that you can't give your kids the best of everything. Give them your very best.

191 Drink low fat milk.

192 Use less salt.

193 Eat less red meat.

194 Learn how to fix a leaky faucet and toilet.

195 Determine the quality of a neighborhood by the manners of the people living there.

196 Surprise a new neighbor with one of your favorite homemade dishes—and include the recipe.

197 Don't forget, a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

198 Feed a stranger's expired parking meter.

199 Park at the back of the lot at shopping centers. The walk is good exercise.

200 Don't watch violent television shows, and don't buy the products that sponsor them.

201 Don't carry a grudge.

202 Show respect for all living things.

203 Return borrowed vehicles with the gas tank full.

204 Choose work that is in harmony with your values.

205 Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.

206 Swing for the fence.

207 Commit yourself to constant self-improvement.

208 Give your best to your employer. It's one of the best investments you can make.

209 Attend high school art shows, and always buy something.

210 Observe the speed limit.

211 Take your dog to obedience school. You'll both learn a lot.

212 Don't waste time grieving over past mistakes. Learn from them and move on.

213 When complimented, a sincere "thank you" is the only response required.

214 Don't plan a long evening on a blind date. A lunch date is perfect. If things don't work out, both of you have wasted only an hour.

215 Don't discuss business in elevators. You never know who may overhear you.

216 Be a good loser.

217 Be a good winner.

218 Never go grocery shopping when you're hungry. You'll buy too much.

219 Spend less time worrying who's right, and more time deciding what's right.

220 Don't major in minor things.

221 Don't allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It's there for your convenience, not the caller's.

222 Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.

223 Praise in public.

224 Criticize in private.

225 When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.

226 Resist giving advice concerning matrimony, finances, or hair styles.

227 Never tell anyone they look tired or depressed.

228 Have impeccable manners.

229 Never pay for work before it's completed.

230 Keep good company.

231 Keep a daily journal.

232 Keep your promises.

233 Avoid any church that has cushions on the pews and is considering building a gymnasium.

234 Teach your children the value of money and the importance of saving.

235 Be willing to lose a battle in order to win the war.

236 Don't be deceived by first impressions.

237 Seek out the good in people.

238 Don't encourage rude or inattentive service by tipping the standard amount.

239 Watch the movie It's a Wonderful Life every Christmas.

240 Drink eight glasses of water every day.

241 Respect tradition.

242 Never cut what can be untied.

243 Be cautious about lending money to friends. You might lose both.

244 Never waste an opportunity to tell good employees how much they mean to the company.

245 Buy a bird feeder and hang it so that you can see it from your kitchen window.

246 Wave at children on school buses.

247 Show respect for others' time. Call whenever you're going to be more than ten minutes late for an appointment.

248 Tape record your parents' memories of how they met and their first years of marriage.

249 Hire people smarter than you.

250 Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.

251 Take good care of those you love.

252 Keep it simple.

253 Purchase gas from the neighborhood gas station even if it costs more. Next winter when it's six degrees and your car won't start, you'll be glad they know you.

254 Learn to show enthusiasm, even when you don't feel like it.

255 Learn to show cheerfulness, even when you don't feel like it.

256 Don't jaywalk.

257 Never ask a lawyer or accountant for business advice. They are trained to find problems, not solutions.

258 Avoid like the plague any lawsuit.

259 Take family vacations whether you can afford them or not. The memories will be priceless.

260 Every day show your family how much you love them with your words, with your touch, and with your thoughtfulness.

261 Don't gossip.

262 Don't discuss salaries.

263 Don't nag.

264 Don't gamble.

265 Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.

266 Lie on your back and look at the stars.

267 Don't leave car keys in the ignition.

268 When meeting someone for the first time, resist asking what they do for a living. Enjoy their company without attaching any labels.

269 Don't whine.

270 Arrive at work early and stay beyond quitting time.

271 When facing a difficult task, act as though it is impossible to fail. If you're going after Moby Dick, take along the tartar sauce.

272 Change air conditioner filters every three months.

273 Leave everything a little better than you found it.

274 Remember that overnight success usually takes about fifteen years.

275 Cut out complimentary newspaper articles about people you know and mail the articles to them with notes of congratulations.

276 Patronize local merchants even if it costs a bit more.

277 Fill your gas tank when it falls below one-quarter full.

278 Never snap your fingers to get someone's attention. It's rude.

279 Don't expect money to bring you happiness.

280 No matter how dire the situation, keep your cool.

281 When paying cash, ask for a discount.

282 Find a good tailor.

283 Don't use a toothpick in public.

284 Never underestimate your power to change yourself.

285 Never overestimate your power to change others.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from The Complete Life's Little Instruction Book by H. Jackson Brown Jr.. Copyright © 1997 H. Jackson Brown, Jr.. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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