# Do you have a motto? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536 "2005-03-14T22:51:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/61 "2005-03-15T21:27:36Z")
Sometime back in the later years of high school, I got tired of regretting certain things I’d done. By that point, I knew myself well enough that, if I just thought about what I was about to do, I’d know whether or not I would regret it later. And once a thing is, what good does regret do? I therefore adopted the motto: _Don’t do anything you’ll regret, and don’t regret anything you do._ And I don’t regret a single stupid thing I’ve done since. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/62 "2005-03-15T21:29:13Z")
“Clean mind, clean body. Take yer pick.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/63 "2005-03-15T21:54:52Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > “Yea, dost thou fall upon thy face? Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit…” _ **adds hand-woven Indian blanket, an afghan hand-crocheted by aunt Madeline, a chenille throw, and an old tablecloth** _ ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/64 "2005-03-15T22:28:06Z")
_Eh…fuck it_ ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/65 "2005-03-15T22:38:18Z")
If you go around looking for reasons to be angry, pretty soon you won’t have time for anything else. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/66 "2005-03-15T22:41:35Z")
I didn’t realize I did have a motto until reading through, most of, this thread. Then it hit me how often I say, “It’s just money and life’s short.” ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/67 "2005-03-15T22:44:47Z")
Ah, well. ::shrugs:: I’ve spent $40 on dumber stuff. --Oliver Faltz ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/68 "2005-03-15T22:47:09Z")
> [@The Asbestos Mango](#): > > _ **adds hand-woven Indian blanket, an afghan hand-crocheted by aunt Madeline, a chenille throw, and an old tablecloth** _ “Here’s my fiddlestick; here’s that shall make you dance!” ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/69 "2005-03-16T02:24:11Z")
A wise man once told me, “Always use your powers for good.” I’ve lived by that ever since. **AskNott,** I like your motto. I might have to steal it when I get tired of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/70 "2005-03-16T02:31:15Z")
A hundred years from now, none of this will matter. ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/71 "2005-03-16T03:30:26Z")
If we can land on the moon, surely I can win your heart. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/72 "2005-03-16T03:32:59Z")
“Tomorrow is another day” and “You never know until you try.” ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/73 "2005-03-16T04:41:00Z")
Jeez, this is all very high-minded compared to mine: “Abortion, Execution, Assassination: it’s all good” ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/74 "2005-03-16T04:52:24Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > **"Don’t let the bastards wear you down."** > > It’s programmed on my mobile phone and I read the message every morning when I turn it on before heading out the door. 🙂 Illegitimus non carborundum. I like it better in Latin. If I got it wrong, I’m sure **The Sausage Creature** will correct me. ---
**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/75 "2005-03-16T04:53:32Z")
A very wise old dog once said to me, "If you can’t eat it or fuck it … piss on it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/76 "2005-03-16T04:57:20Z")
Esse quam videre (to be, rather than to seem) ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/77 "2005-03-16T05:17:39Z")
> [@movingfinger](#): > > Esse quam videre (to be, rather than to seem) Given your username, I would have expected something from the _Rubaiyat_. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/78 "2005-03-16T05:38:55Z")
No motto, but I’ve always liked these two quotations a lot: “Intelligence has much less practical application than you’d think.” - Dilbert “We are healthy only to the extent that our ideas are humane.” - Kilgore Trout ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/79 "2005-03-16T05:42:35Z")
Semper Paratus. ---
**Author:** ![bclouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@bclouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bclouse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536/80 "2005-03-16T05:46:27Z")
“Set it…” _- Ron Popeil_ “And forget it!” _-Audience members_ Wise words for these trying times [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-motto/294536.md?page=5)