From ‘Producer’ to Producer: Becoming a Producer Part 5

Know what you want and go after it. If it doesn’t want you, go improve on who you are until it does.

Making excuses for why you don’t do the right thing only shows the weakness in your character.

Asking others to put their faith in you requires you to live a certain way to justify the request.

Failing is no excuse for lying. People fail at things all the time, but if the truth isn’t good enough for someone you shouldn’t be dealing with them or you knew you shouldn’t have done it and did it anyway.

Learn from your mistakes, because some times you only get the chance to learn once. The next time might not be a teaching moment, but the final time.

Preparation is great, but experience will make you ready for the moment when it arrives.

Experience and knowledge cannot be faked. You can choose to pretend, but you will only deceive those less talented and/or educated than you and only for so long.

No one likes being lied to, but some will tolerate it because they don’t care about what it is they are being lied to about.

Live an honest life. The world is going to last long after you are gone. The things you accomplish will eventually not matter, but people will remember you for how you affected their lives while you were in it.

Don’t carry around guilt. It’s not worth it. Either deal with it and heal or let it go. All your sins will be weighed and you will be judged accordingly one way or the other.

Accept defeat graciously. Nobody likes a sore loser. If you hate the fact that you lost, if possible, try harder next time.

There is nothing wrong with trusting people, just don’t put your trust in the wrong people.

You live and you learn, that’s how you gain experience. Nothing in a lab/class can substitute for the real thing.

Never stop asking/thinking critical questions. That’s what they want you to do.

Always see opposition as opponents on a chess board. If you are only worried about their next move then you are already behind at least one move.

Once someone tries to play your intelligence, show them how smart you really are.