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- Aug 30, 2007
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Rules for Life
1. Live for something other than yourself. If you only think of yourself you will find thousands of reasons for being unhappy; you will never have had the treatment which you thought you deserved, and you will never have done all you wanted to do or should have done. Build up a present of which you can be proud. Whoever lives for a purpose – for his country, for others less fortunate, for his family – forgets his own troubles and worries.
2. Act, instead of lamenting the absurdities of this world. We must try to transform our own small lot. We can’t hope to change the universe, but then our objectives are smaller. To do your own job well and become a master at it is not always easy, but you will find happiness in working hard and making a success of your job, whatever it might be.
3. You must believe in the power of your own will. I do not believe that the future is completely predetermined. Whoever has the courage and strength of will can, to a certain extent, control his destiny. Obviously, we are not all-powerful. Individual freedom has its limits, but freedom lies between the boundaries of things that are possible and our own will. We must always discipline ourselves without thinking of the limitations. Laziness and cowardice are weaknesses; work and courage are acts of will. And strength of purpose is, perhaps, the queen of virtues.
4. Never deceive. Faithfulness is perhaps as valuable as strength of purpose. It is not an easy virtue. You must be true to your promises, to your contracts, to others and to yourself.
These rules are very harsh but you must add to them a sense of humour – it will enable you to smile at yourself, and with others.
Henry Cotton (1907 – 1987)
From Thanks for the Game, the best of golf with Henry Cotton
1. Live for something other than yourself. If you only think of yourself you will find thousands of reasons for being unhappy; you will never have had the treatment which you thought you deserved, and you will never have done all you wanted to do or should have done. Build up a present of which you can be proud. Whoever lives for a purpose – for his country, for others less fortunate, for his family – forgets his own troubles and worries.
2. Act, instead of lamenting the absurdities of this world. We must try to transform our own small lot. We can’t hope to change the universe, but then our objectives are smaller. To do your own job well and become a master at it is not always easy, but you will find happiness in working hard and making a success of your job, whatever it might be.
3. You must believe in the power of your own will. I do not believe that the future is completely predetermined. Whoever has the courage and strength of will can, to a certain extent, control his destiny. Obviously, we are not all-powerful. Individual freedom has its limits, but freedom lies between the boundaries of things that are possible and our own will. We must always discipline ourselves without thinking of the limitations. Laziness and cowardice are weaknesses; work and courage are acts of will. And strength of purpose is, perhaps, the queen of virtues.
4. Never deceive. Faithfulness is perhaps as valuable as strength of purpose. It is not an easy virtue. You must be true to your promises, to your contracts, to others and to yourself.
These rules are very harsh but you must add to them a sense of humour – it will enable you to smile at yourself, and with others.
Henry Cotton (1907 – 1987)
From Thanks for the Game, the best of golf with Henry Cotton
