Life Rules of Engagement

Merriam-Webster defines Engagement as:

an arrangement to meet or be present at a specified time and place
something that engages: pledge
the act of engaging: the state of being engaged
emotional involvement or commitment

In a LinkedIn posting last fall, James Vena wrote these life rules of engagement. They match identically with my beliefs and I wanted to share them with you verbatim:

Losers make excuses; Winners make time.
Know when to give in, but NEVER give up.
Lapses in judgment are human, but there is no such thing as lapses of integrity.
Always fight fire with water, never with fire.
Be equally passionate about understanding others, as wanting to be understood by others.
Know that time may heal all wounds, it kills all deals. Be expeditious.
Possess a childlike curiosity to go along with an intellectual humility
Express the desire to learn something about everyone you meet.
Know what you don’t know,
Have high expectations of others, but even higher ones of yourself.
Compromise to cooperate, but never at the expense of your principals.
Be understated, yet confident.
Always be optimistic about the future of others.
Demand the highest in quality of character from your partners.
Express genuine benevolence, compassion and understanding.