The Technium: 99 Additional Bits of Unsolicited Advice

• It’s not an apology if it comes with an excuse. It is not a compliment if it comes with a request.

• If something fails where you thought it would fail, that is not a failure.

• The greatest rewards come from working on something that nobody has a name for. If you possibly can, work where there are no words for what you do.

• Don’t create things to make money; make money so you can create things. The reward for good work is more work.

• The foundation of maturity: Just because it’s not your fault doesn’t mean it’s not your responsibility.

• Being wise means having more questions than answers.

• Compliment people behind their back. It’ll come back to you.

• Most overnight successes — in fact any significant successes — take at least 5 years. Budget your life accordingly.

• You are only as young as the last time you changed your mind.

• Your best response to an insult is “You’re probably right.” Often they are.

• The worst evils in history have always been committed by those who truly believed they were combating evil. Beware of combating evil.

• If you can avoid seeking approval of others, your power is limitless.

• When a child asks an endless string of “why?” questions, the smartest reply is, “I don’t know, what do you think?”

• To be wealthy, accumulate all those things that money can’t buy.