The Paladin Prophecy (Book 1)

Dad's List of Rules To Live By

#1:  THE IMPORTANCE OF AN ORDERLY MIND.
#2:  STAY FOCUSED ON THE TASK AT HAND.
#3:  DON'T DRAW ATTENTION TO YOURSELF.
#4:  IF YOU THINK YOU'RE DONE, YOU'VE JUST
     BEGUN.
#5:  TRUST NO ONE.
#6:  REMAIN ALERT AT ALL TIMES TO THE REALITY
     OF THE PRESENT.
     BECAUSE ALL WE HAVE IS RIGHT NOW.
#7:  DON'T CONFUSE GOOD LUCK WITH A GOOD
     PLAN.
#8:  ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO IMPROVISE.
#9:  WATCH, LOOK, AND LISTEN, OR YOU WON'T
     KNOW WHAT YOU'RE MISSING.
#10: DON'T JUST REACT TO A SITUATION THAT
     TAKES YOU BY SURPRISE. __RESPOND.__
#11: TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS.
#13: YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST
     IMPRESSION.
#14: ASK ALL QUESTIONS IN THE ORDER OF
     THEIR IMPORTANCE.
#15: BE QUICK, BUT DON'T HURRY.
#16: ALWAYS LOOK PEOPLE IN THE EYE. GIVE THEM
     A HANDSHAKE TO REMEMBER.
#17: START EACH DAY BY SAYING IT'S GOOD TO BE
     ALIVE. EVEN IF YOU DON'T FEEL IT, __SAYING__ IT -
     OUT LOUD - MAKES IT MORE LIKELY THAT YOU WILL.
#18: IF #17 DOESN'T WORK, COUNT YOUR
     BLESSINGS.
#19: WHEN EVERYTHING GOES WRONG, TREAT
     DISASTER AS A WAY TO WAKE UP.
#20: THERE MUST ALWAYS BE A RELATIONSHIP
     BETWEEN EVIDENCE AND CONCLUSION.
#23: WHEN THERE'S TROUBLE, THINK FAST AND
     ACT DECISIVELY.
#25: WHAT YOU'RE TOLD TO BELIEVE ISN'T
     IMPORTANT. IT'S WHAT YOU __CHOOSE__ TO
     BELIEVE. IT'S NOT THE INK AND PAPER THAT
     MATTER, BUT THE HAND THAT HOLDS
     THE PEN.
#26: ONCE IS AN ANOMALY. TWICE IS A
     COINCIDENCE. THREE TIMES IS A PATTERN.
     AND AS WE KNOW...
#27: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A COINCIDENCE.
#28: LET PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE YOU. THAT WAY
     THEY'LL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE WHAT
     YOU'RE CAPABLE OF.
#30: SOMETIMES THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH A
     BULLY IS TO HIT FAST. HARD.
#31: IT'S NOT A BAD THING, SOMETIMES, IF THEY
     THINK YOU ARE CRAZY.
#34: ACT AS IF YOU'RE IN CHARGE, AND PEOPLE
     WILL BELIEVE YOU.
#40: NEVER MAKE EXCUSES.
#41: SLEEP WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPY. CATS TAKE NAPS
     SP THEY'RE READY FOR ANYTHING
#45: COOPERATE WITH THE AUTHORITIES. BUT
     DON'T NAME FRIENDS.
#46: IF STRANGERS KNOW WHAT YOU'RE FEELING,
     YOU GIVE THEM THE ADVANTAGE.
#48: NEVER START A FIGHT UNLESS YOU CAN FINISH
     IT. FAST.
#49: WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, JUST BREATHE.
#50: IN TIMES OF CHAOS, STICK TO ROUTINE. BUILD
     ORDER ONE STEP AT A TIME.
#51: THE ONLY THING YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE
     IS HOPE.
#54: IF YOU CAN'T BE ON TIME, BE EARLY.
#55: IF YOU FAIL TO PREPARE, YOU PREPARE TO
     FAIL.
#59: SOMETIMES YOU FIND OUT MORE WHEN YOU
     ASK QUESTIONS TO WHICH YOU ALREADY
     KNOW THE ANSWER.
#60: IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE ANSWER YOU GET, YOU
     SHOULDN'T HAVE ASKED THE QUESTION.
#61: IF YOU WANT SOMETHING DONE THE RIGHT
     WAY, DO IT YOURSELF.
#63: THE BEST WAY TO LIE IS TO INCLUDE PART OF
     THE TRUTH.
#65: THE DUMBEST GUY IN A ROOM IS THE FIRST
     ONE WHO TELLS YOU HOW SMART HE IS.
#68: NEVER SIGN A LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT
     HASN'T BEEN APPROVED BY A LAWYER WHO
     WORKS FOR YOU.
#72: WHEN IN A NEW PLACE, ACT LIKE YOU'VE BEEN
     THERE BEFORE.
#73: LEARN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TACTICS
     AND STRATEGY.
#75: WHEN YOU NEED TO MAKE A QUICK DECISION,
     DON'T LET WHAT YOU CAN'T DO INTERFERE
     WITH WHAT YOU CAN.
#76: WHEN YOU GAIN THE ADVANTAGE, PRESS IT TO
     THE LIMIT.
#77: THE SWISS ARMY DOESN'T AMOUNT TO MUCH,
     BUT NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THEIR
     KNIFE.
#78: THERE'S A REASON THE CLASSICS ARE
     CLASSICS. THEY'RE __CLASSIC.__
#79: DON'T MAKE ANOTHER'S PAIN THE SOURCE OF
     YOUR OWN HAPPINESS.
#81: NEVER TAKE MORE THAN YOU NEED.
#82: WITHOUT A LIFE OF THE MIND, YOU'LL LIVE A
     MINDLESS LIFE.
#83: JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE PARANOID DOESN'T
     MEAN THAT SORRY IS BETTER THAN SAFE.
#84: WHEN NOTHING ELSE WORKS, TRY CHOCOLATE.
#86: NEVER BE NERVOUS WHEN TALKING TO A
     BEAUTIFUL GIRL. JUST PRETEND SHE'S A
     PERSON, TOO.
#87: MEN WANT COMPANY. WOMEN WANT EMPATHY.
#88: ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE PERSON WITH
     THE WHISTLE.
#91: THERE IS NOT - NOR SHOULD THERE BE - ANY
     LIMIT TO WHAT A GUY WILL GO THROUGH TO
     IMPRESS THE RIGHT GIRL.
#92: IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TELL YOU MORE, SAY
     LESS. OPEN YOU'RE EYES AND EARS, AND CLOSE
     YOUR MOUTH.
#94: YOU CAN FIND MOST OF THE WEAPONS OR
     EQUIPMENT YOU'LL EVER NEED AROUND THE
     HOUSE.
#96: MEMORIZE THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
#97: REGARDING EYEWEAR AND UNDERWEAR:
     ALWAYS TRAVEL WITH BACKUPS.
#98: DON'T WATCH YOUR LIFE LIKE IT'S A MOVIE
     THAT'S HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE.
     IT'S HAPPENING TO __YOU.__ IT'S HAPPENING
     RIGHT NOW.

OPEN ALL DOORS, AND AWAKEN.