Lessons Learned

Here are a few lessons I learned in the Marine Corps that helped carry me through the business world these last thirty years.

Flying is better than walking. Walking is better than running. Running is better than crawling. All of these however, are better than extraction by a Medavac, even if it is technically, a form of flying.

"Pucker Factor" is the formal name of the equation that states the more hairy the situation is, the more of the seat cushion will be sucked up your butt. It can be expressed in its mathematical formula of S(suction) + H(height above ground) + I(interest in staying alive) + T (number of tracers coming your way). Thus the term 'SHIT!' can also be used to denote a situation where a high Pucker Factor is being encountered.

The further away you are from your friends, the less likely it is that they can help you when you really need them the most.

There is no such thing as a fair fight -- only ones where you win or lose.

If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. If you lose you don't care.

Sometimes, being good and lucky still is not enough.

If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, you're about to be surprised.

Nobody cares what you did yesterday or what you are going to do tomorrow. What is important is what you are doing -- NOW -- to solve our problem.

"You have the right to remain silent." is always EXCELLENT advice.

If you have not been there and done that . . . you probably will not understand most of these.