Listifesto #2: Stefan Sagmeister

What started as an entry in designer Stefan Sagmeister's diary grew into a book and then website encouraging others to share their thoughts on the subject: Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far. Sagmeister, a typographer and lover of letters himself, found ways of leaking his "listifesto" into the world. Through billboards, projections, sculpting letters out of twigs, (the self-confidence one pictured above is spelled out in an installation of 7,200 bananas) he made his observations visible, tangible, and one with the world around us.

Here's his list:

Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far

* Helping other people helps me.

* Having guts always works out for me.

* Thinking that life will be better in the future is stupid. I have to live now.

* Organising a charity group is surprisingly easy.

* Being not truthful always works against me.

* Everything I do always comes back to me.

* Assuming is stifling.

* Drugs feel great in the beginning and become a drag later on.

* Over time I get used to everything and start taking for granted.

* Money does not make me happy.

* My dreams have no meaning.

* Keeping a diary supports personal development.

* Trying to look good limits my life.

* Material luxuries are best enjoyed in small doses.

* Worrying solves nothing.

* Complaining is silly. Either act or forget.

* Everybody thinks they are right.

* If I want to explore a new direction professionally, it is helpful to try it out for myself first.

* Low expectations are a good strategy.

* Everybody who is honest is interesting.