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If you ask AI, given my birth year and a few facts about me the prediction is between 7,000 to 10,000 days left to live. I’ll never know the exact number, but I do know every day, every experience is a part of your story, and I’m trying to write mine with purpose.  I have about 7000 days left to write mine.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far. Take what’s useful. Pass it on.

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Start With You

Years ago, I read “I Am Third” by Gayle Sayers. His mantra was “God is first, my family and friends are second, and I am third.” Even as a kid, that order didn’t sit right with me. Because how can you take care of others if you’re not taking care of yourself?

I believe your story should start with you…not in a selfish way, but in a foundational one. Your health, your energy, your mindset, your peace…these are the things that support everything else. If you want to lead, love, build, and serve, you have to be strong enough to show up fully.

That also means being selective about who you spend your time with. Surround yourself with people who lift you up. People who challenge you, root for you, believe in you. Everyone you surround yourself with should bring you UP.

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Keep Learning, Keep Improving

My dad didn’t have a formal education, but he had grit. He once borrowed a book titled “The Power of Positive Thinking” and it changed the course of his life. He started a business, built a family, and taught me the value of constant self-improvement.

He didn’t lecture. He handed me books and articles. “Read this,” he’d say. Sometimes I didn’t understand them until years later, but the message was clear. Keep learning. Stay curious. Be the kind of person who sees what’s broken and finds a way to fix it.

That’s a mindset that’s served me in every part of life. Whether you’re leading a company, raising a family, or just trying to be a better version of yourself, don’t get complacent. Keep showing up. Keep sharpening. Keep growing.

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Build a Better Path

I didn’t get here on my own. My grandfather cleared a rough dirt path. My father laid gravel. I’ve tried to pave with granite for those coming next. That’s our job. Not just walking the path but improving it. For our families. Our communities. The people we’ll never meet.

And we don’t just build or improve something with hard work; we do it with values. Here are a few that guide me, and that I have passed down in our family…

• Never lose your sense of humor…Laugh, especially at yourself.
• Don’t take stuffy people too seriously, they already do that for themselves.
• Smiling and love are expendable; you can give love and smiles like cash, but still have the same amount left at the end of the day.
• Value grit… when it’s fair, you can usually win by outworking the competition.
• Always sing in your car.
• Be accountable for your actions.
• Value participation and share the load. Whether it’s housework or community work – share your time, your hands and your mind fully.
• Be generous when it counts.
• Celebrate differences and don’t tolerate those who don’t.
• Show up for your family, your neighbors, your country.
• Love is hard to find—When you think you love someone – you can tell them that you THINK you love them; When you know you love someone be brave enough to say it out loud.
• Keep secrets, SECRET!
• Value perspective—walk in someone else’s shoes before making judgements that will affect others.
• Choice is the most important word. Every choice shapes who you are and how others remember you.

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Don’t Wait

The best stories don’t happen by accident. They happen by action. They happen when we take risks, change our minds, try again, forgive often, and move forward with purpose.

So, whether you’re just beginning something new, or beginning again, make it count. Live with heart. Lead with grit. Love with urgency. And you’ll write stories you’ll be proud to tell.

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And hurry up every chance you get.

—Bob