Quotes & Dad-isms

Lessons My Father Taught Me

  • Responsibility in all ways
    • Self
    • Others
    • Surroundings
  • Your choices matter and ‘own’ your choices
  • Make the world a better place
  • Respect
  • Integrity
  • Character
  • Intention
  • Your peer group helps define you; choose your friends carefully
  • Work hard and have fun

His philosophy

There’s a simple formula for happiness … and for success in general: G+O+P+I+E.

G is Gratitude. O is for both Optimism and the Other. P is for Purpose. I is for Integrity. E is for both Effort, and a certain kind of Exercise.

Let’s recap. 

  • Be grateful. Be optimistic, be focused on one another. 
  • The purpose of life is a life with purpose. 
  • Be true, speak true. That’s integrity. 
  • As for effort: unless you put in the work, nothing grows but weeds. Grow a garden instead.

–From Lauren & John Burchill’s wedding

Some of his favorite quotes

Dum vivimus vivamus: “While we live, let us live.”

“No Whining”

“If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.” –Carl Sagan