9 Life Lessons from Tim Minchin

1. You don’t have to have a dream

Americans on talent shows always talk about their dreams. Fine, if you have something you have always wanted to do, dreamed of in your heart, go for it. After all, it’s something to do with your time chasing a dream. If it’s a big enough one, it’ll take you most of your life to achieve, so by the time you get to it, you’ll be almost dead. Instead, have passionate dedication to the pursuit of short-term goals. Be micro-ambitious. Put your head down and work with pride on whatever is in front of you. You never know where you might end up. Just be aware that the next worthy pursuit will probably appear in your periphery which is why you should be careful of long-term dreams. If you focus too far in front of you, you won’t see the shiny thing out of the corner of your eye.

2. Don’t seek happiness

Happiness is like an orgasm, if you think about it too much, it goes away. Keep busy and aim to make someone else happy and you might find you get some as a side effect.

3. Remember, it’s all luck

You are lucky to be here. You are incalculably lucky to be born. Understanding that you can’t truly take credit for all your successes, nor truly blame others for their failures will humble you and make you more compassionate. Empathy is intuitive, but is also something you can work on intellectually.

4. Exercise

Take care of your body, you are going to need it.

5. Be hard on your opinions

Opinions are like assholes, in that everyone has one. Your opinions should be constantly and thoroughly examined. We must think critically and not just about the ideas of others. Be hard on your beliefs. Be intellectually rigorous. Identify your biases, your prejudices, your privileges. Most of society’s arguments are kept alive by a failure to acknowledge nuance.

6. Be a teacher

Teachers are the most admirable and important people in the world. Even if you are not a teacher, be a teacher. Share your ideas, don’t take for granted your education. Rejoice in what you learn and spray it.

7. Define yourself by what you love

Express passion for things you love. Be demonstrative and generous in your praise of those you admire.

8. Respect people with less power than you

Make big and important decisions about people you work with based largely on how they treat the wait staff in the restaurants.

9. Don’t rush

You don’t already need to know what you are gonna do with the rest of your life. Don’t panic. Life will sometimes seem long and tough, and you will sometimes be happy and sometimes sad, and then you will be old, and then you will be dead. There is only one sensible thing to do with this empty existence, and that is — fill it. Life is best filled by learning as much as you can about as much as you can.

Full video at: https://www.facebook.com/goalcast/videos/2505113692899139/UzpfSTEwMDAwMDIyOTUzMzQxOTozNzI5MTIyMzA3MTA1Mzg0/