Sometimes you just have to sit back and say ... whoooh. You know the moment in time when you are just geeked and thankful for the folks you have working with you. Hopefully, you've had that experience and hopefully I have many more to come.

There was a client I had once, back in the day, when we were in a meeting he got so geeked he said, "I'm so excited I could just pee my pants". Ever felt that way? That's optimism and forward thinking. That's the stuff that gets you up in the morning.

If you aren't having any of those moments I might take a second look and see if what you've determined or settled for in this life is where you really want to be.

So, take a fresh look at life ... what if you could...

If you don't know who Bob Parson's is you probably do know who GoDaddy is. While I don't personally subscribe to all that Bob believes/acts nor GoDaddy for that matter I do find his Rules to Live By a worthwhile reminder for anyone so here are a few of them below...

Get and stay out of your comfort zone. I believe that not much happens of any significance when we're in our comfort zone. I hear people say, "But I'm concerned about security." My response to that is simple: "Security is for cadavers."

Never give up. Almost nothing works the first time it's attempted. Just because what you're doing does not seem to be working, doesn't mean it won't work. It just means that it might not work the way you're doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn't have an opportunity.

When you're ready to quit, you're closer than you think. There's an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."

With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be. Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of "undefined consequences." My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, "Well, Robert, if it doesn't work, they can't eat you."

Focus on what you want to have happen. Remember that old saying, "As you think, so shall you be."

Always be moving forward. Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.

Be quick to decide. Remember what General George S. Patton said: "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow."

Measure everything of significance. I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves.

Anything that is not managed will deteriorate. If you want to uncover problems you don't know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven't examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.

Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing. When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.

Never expect life to be fair. Life isn't fair. You make your own breaks. You'll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).

Solve your own problems. You'll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you'll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: "You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others." There's also an old Asian saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: "A wise man keeps his own counsel."

The above (or following) article (or rules for survival) is included with the permission of Bob Parsons (http://www.bobparsons.com/) and is Copyright © 2004-2006 by Bob Parsons. All rights reserved."