A Blueprint For A Good Life

If you are wondering why, after almost two years, you are once again receiving a Life Design Newsletter, you can read my post here. In the meantime, it is great to be back!

One of my favorite music genres is country music. There is something about it that brings out my inner country boy, and I have been known to put on quite the show when I am driving by myself, belting out lyrics.

One of my favorites is a song by Travis Tritt that was released in 2000 called "It's a Great Day to Be Alive." It's a song that speaks to the little things in life that make him realize that life is pretty darn good, even in the midst of some trouble. The chorus always brings a smile to my face. . .

"And it's a great day to be alive I know the sun's still shining when I close my eyes. There's some hard times in the neighborhood, but why can't every day be just this good".

Who wouldn't want to be able to live a song like this? As one of my friends used to say, "If I stack up enough good days, it makes for a pretty good life!" I don't think he was necessarily wrong, but how do you string together enough good days, to make a good life?

I believe the answer is found in one word, "wisdom".

The book of Proverbs is a book about wisdom; its pages are filled with it. In the first few chapters, Solomon (the author of most of the book) delivers the truth about wisdom in the context of a father speaking to his son. In chapter 4, the father lovingly gives the son a blueprint for living a good life when he gives his son the following exhortation in verses 4-6, 8 & 10. (NLT)

"Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don't forget my words or turn away from them. Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you. She will present a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown. My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life."

And there it is, our blueprint to living a long good life.

• Taking the words of the book to heart.

• Getting wisdom, which Proverbs tells us begins with a fear of the Lord.

• Develop good judgment.

• Don't forget or turn away from the words of wisdom and wise instruction.

• Prize wisdom.

• Embrace wisdom.

• Listen to wise instruction.

It is so simple, and this is something that we can do every day. When we do, we can be sure that we are stacking up far more good days than bad ones, which will produce a good life.

Looking at my own life, I know that the good days, weeks, months, and years have come when I have applied the father's advice to his son. When life is good, I see that I embraced, listened, and prized wisdom. When I turned my back on it, well, let's just say that there was little good to be found.

I hope that today you follow the advice of the father in Proverbs and choose wisdom, it is the key to designing a good life, and who doesn't want that?

On the journey with you,

Carlos

P.S. The book of Proverbs has 31 chapters. If you want to embrace wisdom, read the chapter that corresponds with the day of the month.

This edition was first published in The Life Design Newsletter on LinkedIn.