JORGE RODRIGUES SIMÃO

As much as we can do to improve our lives, we do have to remember that there is no such thing as a sure thing. Rich or poor, every person's future is uncertain. Tomorrow will bring both pain and pleasure. You will have little or no control over many things that happen in the future. All told, the success of the important project is not guaranteed - regardless of how much talent you have and how much effort you put into it. One reason is that Murphy's Law has a habit of throwing a wrench into the best of plans.

To get the most out of your companionship, you must choose your friends well. One of the greatest time-wasters and obstacles to success in all areas of life is associating with the wrong people. Yet surprisingly many individuals spend time with dysfunctional characters whom they don 't even like. Associating with the wrong people can cost you your time, energy, creativity, and money. They can even cost you your health - mainly mental.

Think you know a lot? Think again. It is commonly accepted in Western society that knowledge is power. Not necessarily so! Knowledge is power only if you use it - and use it properly. Put another way, don 't tell the world about how much you know if you aren't going to use your knowledge for anything but talk. The Buddhists have a proverb: "To know and not to do is not yet to know."

Needless to say, knowledge and wisdom are useless if you don't use them to accomplish something worthwhile.

We all have a negative acquaintance or two who seems to know everything there is to know about what is wrong with this world. These pessimistic individuals, to be sure, can be just a little unpleasant and difficult to be around. If you are like me, after a few moments with them, you begin to squirm in your seat, trying to determine your next course of action. Unfortunately, there are no laws under which you can have negative people charged for interfering with your life.