# What is your life motto? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 19, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801 "2010-06-19T19:59:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/81 "2010-06-21T19:08:50Z")
My primary motto is surprisingly unchanged since college: “No regrets.” I developed this one after spending three weeks, moping and homesick in South America. Generally, I made an ass out of myself for the better part of a month and missed out on a couple of opportunities I was lucky enough to have later on. I then decided that I’d do everything I could so I could come back and never say, “Damn, I wish I would’ve…” That included trips, moral decisions, managing personal conflicts, etc. Secondary is “Just 60 seconds horizontal.” What this means is the standard expect the worst, hope for the best. The wording is a result of having a second child who, remarkably, is an even worse sleeper than the first. ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/82 "2010-06-21T19:18:49Z")
The true secret to happiness is…250 milligrams of Fukitol, three times a day! ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/83 "2010-06-21T20:37:06Z")
“Whatever does not kill me, postpones the inevitable.” ---
**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:** [June 21, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/84 "2010-06-21T20:42:05Z")
I don’t have a motto. The words that most often pass my lips are most likely “Why not?” – usually in response to the question “why,” when asked about something that needs no cause or reason. For instance, questions about evolution: “Why do we have five fingers?” “Why do human women have large breasts?” Why not? The phrase that best sums up my approach to life, however, is “Mind your own fucking business.” ---
**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:** [June 21, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/85 "2010-06-21T20:43:58Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > Never believe a man who tells you he loves you before you’ve slept with him. He’s either lying to you, or to himself. Corollary: Never believe that you’re in love with someone you haven’t slept with yet. You probably just want to get into their pants. Heh. While not making the same point, that reminds me of this: [QUOTE=Dorothy Parker] By the time you swear you’re his, Shivering and sighing, And he vows his passion is Infinite, undying — Lady, make a note of this: One of you is lying. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/86 "2010-06-21T21:32:10Z")
sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc Said with a smile. If we’re talking about things to put on our tombstones, I don’t want anything written. I just want the thing\* to look like a dropped ice cream cone. \*Could be a tombstone, could be an urn for my ashes. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/87 "2010-06-21T21:38:35Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > The phrase that best sums up my approach to life, however, is “Mind your own fucking business.” This isn’t the first time this has been said in this thread. So, I have to ask- what does it mean? Do you just mean generally, as you go through everyday life… or, if your neighbor was abusing his kid and you witnessed it, you wouldn’t do anything? I’m a big proponent of MYOB myself, but to make it one of your life’s mottoes, well, I just need to know. ---
**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:** [June 22, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/88 "2010-06-22T00:30:13Z")
No, that would be “I mind MY own fucking business.” MYOFB is mainly directed at the “friendly” and the “helpful.” Perhaps it’s not so much a motto as a _leitmotif_. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/89 "2010-06-22T00:32:47Z")
A recurring theme, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![toodlepip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@toodlepip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toodlepip)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/90 "2010-06-22T00:39:58Z")
Never explain, never apologise. ---
**Author:** ![slime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@slime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slime)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/91 "2010-06-22T00:47:43Z")
Death before Unconciousness Don’t sweat the petty things-just pet the sweaty things ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/92 "2010-06-22T01:27:14Z")
Everything is better on a tortilla ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Righteous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Dr.Righteous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Righteous)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/93 "2010-06-22T14:36:52Z")
Shit happens - but what are you going to DO about it? (as in, don’t complain or wallow too long in “why me”, but take some sort of action to rectify the situation) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/94 "2010-06-22T14:38:57Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > I may have to switch to the one used by US Forces in Afganistan, “Be nice to everyone you meet and have a plan to kill them.” Me likey. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/95 "2010-06-22T14:49:50Z")
Don’t take life so seriously, it’s not permanent. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/96 "2010-06-22T15:07:37Z")
Everything _always_ works out for the best. It can’t work out any other way. You can’t take it back, there is no rewind. Life should have no regrets. ---
**Author:** ![boozilu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@boozilu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boozilu)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/97 "2010-06-22T16:19:18Z")
If you don’t like your life, change it. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/98 "2010-06-22T16:32:06Z")
And if you can’t change your life, change your attitude. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/99 "2010-06-22T16:48:18Z")
“Do or do not: there is no try.” - Yoda ---
**Author:** ![Waxwinged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@Waxwinged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waxwinged)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801/100 "2010-06-22T18:08:01Z")
Have fun. Don’t die. \>:3 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-life-motto/543801.md?page=6)