I've got a bunch of stuff I like to live by.
The foremost are the Nine Noble Virtues:
- Courage
- Truth
- Honour
- Fidelity
- Discipline
- Hospitality
- Self Reliance
- Industriousness
- Perseverance
I've always been fond of "You deserve what you accept"
The entire text of "Illusions" by Richard Bach could very well be my manifesto.
A couple from the Havamal:
Be your friend’s
true friend.
Return gift for gift.
Repay laughter
with laughter again
but betrayal with treachery
Cattle die,
kinsmen die
the self must also die;
I know one thing
which never dies:
the reputation of each dead man.
And some from various European manual writers:
"He that to wrath and anger is thrall, over his wits hath no power at all." -Joseph Swetnam
"Practice your art by necessity, honestly and never in foolish vanity. Then you will remain a good and true man, a true swordsman." -Hanko the Priest Dobringer
And for fun and contrast:
"If a man smite thee on one cheek, smash him on the other! Let no wrong go unredressed" - Anton LaVey
Probably my favourite for dealing with my music career:
“Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig.” -Robert Heinlein
Best regards,
-Mark