Lessons On My 70th Birthday

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Hand-drawn art by Rupali Bhuva
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Lecciones en mi 70 cumpleaños
--por Kevin Kelly

Hoy es mi cumpleaños. Cumplo 70 años. He aprendido algunas cosas hasta ahora que podrían ser útiles para otr@s. Durante los últimos años, he anotado fragmentos de consejos no solicitados cada año y, para mi sorpresa, tengo más que agregar este año. Así que aquí está mi regalo de cumpleaños para tod@s vosotr@s: fragmentos de sabiduría que desearía haber conocido cuando era joven.

• Alrededor del 99% de las veces, el momento adecuado es ahora mismo.
• Nadie está tan impresionado con tus posesiones como tú.
• Nunca trabajes para alguien en quien no quieras convertirte.
• Cultiva 12 personas que te quieran, porque valen más que 12 millones de personas a las que les gustes (like)
• No sigas cometiendo los mismos errores; trata de cometer nuevos errores.
• Cualquier cosa que digas antes de la palabra “pero” no cuenta.
• Cuando perdonas a los demás, es posible que no lo noten, pero sanarás. El perdón no es algo que hacemos por los demás; es un regalo para nosotros mismos.
• Siempre que haya una discusión entre dos posiciones, encuentra la tercera.
• La mejor ética de trabajo requiere una buena ética de descanso.
• Cuando lideras, tu verdadero trabajo es crear más líderes, no más seguidores.
• Criticar en privado, elogiar en público.
• La productividad suele ser una distracción. No busques mejores formas de realizar tus tareas lo más rápido posible, más bien apunta a mejores tareas que nunca quieras dejar de hacer.
• Tu crecimiento como ser consciente se mide por el número de conversaciones incómodas que estás dispuest@ a tener.
• Habla con confianza como si tuvieras razón, pero escucha atentamente como si estuvieras equivocado.
• Tres cosas que necesitas: la capacidad de no renunciar a algo hasta que funcione, la capacidad de renunciar a algo que no funciona y la confianza en otras personas para ayudarte a distinguir entre las dos.
• Obtendrás 10 veces mejores resultados si elogias el buen comportamiento en lugar de castigar el mal comportamiento, especialmente en niños y animales.
• Pregúntale a cualquier persona que admires: Sus golpes de suerte ocurrieron en un desvío de su objetivo principal. Así que acepta los desvíos. La vida no es una línea recta para nadie.
• No esperes a que pase la tormenta; baila bajo la lluvia.
• Una buena de comprenderte a ti mismo es reflexionar seriamente sobre todo lo que encuentras irritante en l@s demás.
• Lo que haces en tus días malos es más importante que lo que haces en tus días buenos.
• Serás juzgado por lo bien que trates a aquellos que no pueden hacer nada por ti.
• Tendemos a sobrestimar lo que podemos hacer en un día, y a subestimar lo que podemos lograr en una década. Se pueden lograr cosas milagrosas si le das diez años. Un juego largo combinará pequeñas ganancias para superar incluso los grandes errores.
• Es apasionante ser extremadamente cortés con desconocid@s groser@s.
• Copiar a otros es una buena forma de empezar. Copiarse a sí mismo es una manera decepcionante de terminar.
• Si tus opiniones sobre un tema se pueden predecir a partir de tus opiniones sobre otro, es posible que esté bajo el control de una ideología. Cuando realmente pienses por ti mism@, tus conclusiones no serán predecibles.
• La mejor forma de prevenir el envejecimiento es seguir asombrándose por las cosas.


Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Qué lección destaca para ti y por qué? ¿Cómo te relacionas con la noción de que 'tu crecimiento como ser consciente se mide por el número de conversaciones incómodas que estás dispuest@ a tener'? ¿Puedes compartir una historia personal de un momento en el que pudiste permanecer asombrad@? ¿Qué te ayuda a bailar bajo la lluvia en lugar de esperar a que pase la tormenta?

Kevin Kelly es escritor, fotógrafo y estudioso de la cultura digital.
Seed Questions for Reflection

Which lesson stood out for you and why? How do you relate to the notion that 'your growth as a conscious being is measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations you are willing to have'. Can you share a personal story of a time you were able to remain astonished? What helps you dance in the rain instead of waiting for the storm to pass?

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Add Your Reflection

25 Past Reflections
SI
Sep 16, 2024
Thank you for this. I turn 70 tomorrow. I am astonished at how we appear to be still, when in fact we are rotating rapidly on the axis of our earth planet, and hurtling through space to destinations unknown. Is it possible that even in stillness, there is movement and change?
MO
Morrso
Jul 28, 2024
Life is short. Death is long. Act accordingly.
JD
JP Devaraj
Jan 2, 2023
Old is to remain ostonished
CG
Dec 28, 2022
A thought to add. … Time flies by, like smoke through a keyhole, whether you are paying attention or not.
AR
Nov 21, 2022
ITS ALWAYS GOOD TO MAKE MISTAKES IN LIFE BUT IT IS MORE BETTER TO LEARN FROM THOSE MISTAKE........LISTEN TO EVERYONE BUT DO WHAT IS BETTER FOR YOURSELF...
CA
Cassandra
Oct 3, 2022
I savor, cause I found exactly what I used to be taking a look for.
You've ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day.
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Sep 22, 2022
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Jolone
Aug 24, 2022
WoW! Other than the Bible, I have not read so much wisdom in one paper of just 2mins read! Great words of wisdom ! Thank you for sharing !
AR
Arthur
Aug 23, 2022
Take advantage of the situation to make the best of it, have fun, create something,
LI
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Paul of Flowerland Mountains
Aug 23, 2022
What has become of greater value than memory, or concentration, or intellect, or almost any effort of the brain at age 67 (almost 68): Awareness -- and exercise -- of the heart in everyday life (e.g.: kind actions, generosity, forgiveness, charity, and more than can be labeled - hope you-all get the idea.)
KL
Katharine L.
Aug 23, 2022
It's OK to admit to being wrong, and changing your mind is OK, too.
BM
Aug 23, 2022
Happy Birthday. At 88 I can say the best is yet to come. I loved dancing in the rain as a child, and even now I have done it with thanksgiving that rain has come to our parched land.
Thank you for your reflections.
BL
Aug 23, 2022
90% of the things we worry about never come true.
SU
Susan Aug 23, 2022
So true! My 87 year old mum has oft said that truth is very often somewhere in middle... what we think is the best or the worst, is just not.
SU
Susan Aug 23, 2022
So true! My 87 year old mum has oft said that truth is very often somewhere in middle... what we think is the best or the worst, is just not.
WJ
Wang Johnson Sone
Aug 23, 2022
I keep dancing in the rain because of hopefulness. I am optimistic there are brighter days ahead. I have to keep on moving in anticipating of attaining my goals or objectives established. Somebody said "A spartan dies but never surrenders".
BH
Bobby h
Aug 22, 2022
As you get older you really get what he is saying, it is wisdom gained through experience. Theory is just that, pretty much what you think will happen, can't replace experience just sometimes helps us go there to get the experience and confirm.
Dont keep making the same mistakes; try to make new mistakes, was it for me - I use it a lot myself because gives that measure of whether peopLe are growing and learning or just 'getting things done and wasting precious time by having to redo it. We do have to challenge to grow and stretch ourselves uncomfortable coversations help and the willingness to engage is a test of character and growth. Every morning I am astonished by the beauty of the rising sun. Knowing how much fun I will have or how much I can learn by dancing in the rain, comes from being an endurance athlete get to do it often, awesome.
AN
Aug 22, 2022
Yes I agree but would like to add one thing - silence is the answer to everything, especially if you are someone who always likes to have the last word
SU
Aug 22, 2022
I love this sort of 'sage advice' and reflections from others on life and living! There's that phrase, "Take what you need and leave the rest." and I feel that way with Kevin Kelly's list - though most of them resonate with me on some level and give me further room for thought! As I am aging and living and doing things I hadn't imagined, I get Kevin's list making of advice and it is good to listen to these things from others as Kevin says, "...they might be helpful"!
DD
Aug 20, 2022
A few of many that stood out for me are: 1) The right time is now because now I feel enthused, and it quickly passes and becomes another missed opportunity. 2) It's true that everything before 'but' is not fully true. 3) Forgiveness is a gift to ourselves -- a big gift. 4) Most criticism is better not said -- it's unwanted, unhelpful, and it hurts. 5) Speak your truth confidently, plus be open and listen. 6) There's much more value in reinforcing good behavior than punishing bad behavior. 7) Embrace detours -- they're full of surprise and life. 8) Understand self by reflecting on what you find irritating in others -- that is very true. 9) The long haul one step at a time very much exceeds the value of a flash in the pan. 10) Copy others briefly, be yourself longterm. As for uncomfortable conversations, it is in those in which we are open, sincere, honest that we grow. I'm glad that I am naturally often astonished -- it gives me joy and helps me be alive. What helps me dance ... View full comment
TE
Aug 20, 2022
There is some truth and value in considering each of these, and I can remember instances where they fit in my life, BUT every one seems to have exceptions when &where they do not apply. If nothing before the "but" counts, what are we left with? It seems to me the consideration (and meditations) spurred by these aphorisms DOES have value despite the exceptions...
DD
David Doane Aug 20, 2022
What we are left with before the "but" is the opposite of what was said.
JP
Aug 19, 2022
This is a great Birthday Kevine! There are many wonderful lessons cited by Kevin and that makes it difficult for me to choose a couple of leassons. The one that applies to me is " Don't wait for the storms to pass; dance in the rain." This statement took me back to my my little home town in Gujarat where I was born. On a hot summer day we were eagerly waitning for the dark clouds to show up and rain for hours. It was the right day and time for us to dance. And we keep on dancing until we got tired. Now I am old and I relate to this satement differently. I see the value of living fully in the present moment fully and joyfully. The present is the real time. Not to dwell on the past and be anxious about to morrow. Now is the real time. The second lesson "Your growth as a conscious being is measured by the number of uncomfotrable conversations you are willing to have. " I find it rather difficult to relate to conersation with people who have rigid and fixed different posiotins in poli... View full comment