Be Valuable, Not Important. (Life Lesson No. 98) It has become my life’s mission to encourage young people to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to gain a solid education, to seek accurate career information, and to develop their character in such a way as to lead them directly to success. And I would like to ask something of you, that maybe you could tuck away in a pocket of your mind and pull it out for future reference. Be successful, be the best, but please, don’t ever be “important”—you know, the kind of person who doesn’t have the time of day for the rest of us—a “legend in his own mind. . .” When you become a successful, contributing member of society, you will be very valuable. I like that word “valuable.” It has a nice productive ring to it. Please be valuable, but don’t ever be important! There’s a big difference!