These were short insights with one, two, or three entries per page, each a sentence or several long. I didn't race through this book but took a few minutes, or longer, to think about each bit of advice.
I've included a few of his insights, below. They are ones that I needed to hear for my own circumstances.
“Collecting things benefits you only I you display your collection prominently and share it in joy with others. The opposite of this is hoarding.”’ p. 9
“If you are looking for something in your house and you finally find it, when you’re done with it, don’t put it back where you found it. Put it back where you first looked for it.” p. 13
“A great way to understand yourself is to seriously reflect on everything you find irritating in others.” p. 14
“If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room. Hang out with, and learn from, people smarter than yourself. Even better, find smart people who will disagree with you.” p. 19
“The purpose of a habit is to remove that action from self-negotiation. You no longer expend energy deciding whether to do it. You just do it. Good habits can range from telling the truth to flossing.” p. 23
“Promptness is a sign of respect.” p. 24
“Nothing elevates a person higher than taking responsibility for their mistakes. If you mess up, fess up. It’s astounding how powerful this ownership is.” p. 30
“If you are not falling down occasionally, you are just coasting.’ p. 32
“Learn how to tie a bowline knot. Practice in the dark. With one hand. For the rest of your life you’ll use this knot more times than you would ever believe.” p. 60
“All the greatest prizes in life in wealth, relationships, or knowledge come from the magic of compounding interest, by amplifying small steady gains. All you need for abundance is to keep adding 1% more than you subtract on a regular basis.” p. 85
“When you have good news and bad news, give the bad news first, because we remember how things end more than how they begin. So elevate the ending with good news.” p. 115
“Denying or deflecting a compliment is rude. Accept it with thanks, even if you believe it is not deserved.” p. 126
“A wise man said: Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates. At the first gate, ask yourself, ‘Is it true?’ At the second gate ask, ‘Is it necessary?’ At the third gate ask, ‘Is it kind?’” p. 135
“Remember that repair tasks take 3 times longer than expected, even when you expect them to take 3 times longer.” p. 152
“You will thrive more—and so will others—when you promote what you love rather than bash what you hate. Life is short; focus on the good stuff.” p. 166
“Anger is not the proper response to anger. When you see someone angry you are seeing their pain. Compassion is the proper response to anger.” p. 177
“Trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets. Unwavering honesty will help seal in trust.” p. 193
“Your best teacher is your last mistake. p. 195
“Instead of asking your child what they learned today, ask them who they helped today.” p. 196
“To succeed once, focus on the outcome; to keep succeeding, focus on the process that makes the outcome.” p. 198
“The natural state of all possessions is to need repair and maintenance. What you own will eventually own you. Choose selectively.” p. 204
“Right now, no matter your age, these are your golden years. The good stuff will yield golden memories and the bad stuff will yield golden lessons.” p. 207
“See that old person taking forever in line? That is the future you. Have patience.’ p. 208
Kevin Kelly's blog is "The Technium", at https://kk.org/thetechnium/
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