These fundamental rules are offered without comment, other than to say they should be self-explanatory, if not also self-evident.

1. PAY ATTENTION!

2. Think!

3. The Golden Rule:  “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” or “treat others as you wish to be treated” (with the caveat that if you’re masochistic or otherwise self-destructive, that isn’t license to abuse others as you wish to be abused).

4. If you can’t help, then at least get out of the way!

5. As the renowned 20th century philosopher “Dirty Harry” Callahan noted, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” *  (This also applies to women. )

6. Understand, there is a huge difference between being tall, and merely being the tallest pygmy in a sparsely populated tribe.

7. Don’t be hasty to disregard advice—from anyone.  Sometimes even the stupid or ignorant can impart wisdom to the intelligent and the well educated.

* Clint Eastwood,  Magnum Force  (Warner Bros., 1973).

Finally, a bit of wisdom to keep in mind as you go through life:

What doesn’t kill you…makes you wish it had!