The name Conrad Hilton may not ring a bell to many of this generation, yet in times past, his name was synonymous with hospitality. Many of us have stayed in hotels around the world that were named for him. In one of those hotels in the Hilton chain, I came across his biography and was inspired by his ideas about how to live a happier, healthier, more fruitful life. I want to share them with you.

1. Find your own particular talent. Don’t lament or worry about something you can’t do or don’t have a special skill for doing. Find what you can do and do it with all your might, building positively on such.

2. Be big. Think big, dream big, act big, thereby fashioning a mold into which you fit yourself. It can be of great and vast dimensions, or it can be very, very restricted.

3. Be honest. Honesty means more than not cheating, lying or stealing. Honesty means standing for truth and integrity.

4. Live with enthusiasm. The test run is if you can do your job with enthusiasm. If you’re not enthusiastic about your job, you have the wrong job or the wrong attitude.

5. Possess your possessions—never let them possess you. Things are nice to have, enjoy and share with others; but if you have something you feel you can’t do without, get rid of it immediately lest it possess you.

6. Don’t worry. Worry is like a tight cord choking you. Worry strangles your better self.

7. Don’t cling to the past. Build on yesterday’s experience and profit by past mistakes and successes; but don’t let the past conquer you. Otherwise, you’ve stopped forward motion.

8. Look up to people whenever you can—but never look down on them. Be slow to criticize people but quick to appreciate them.

9. Assume your full share of responsibility for a world in which you live. Do not be a "buck passer" when problems confront your community.

10. Pray consistently, confidently, constantly. Most of the great men and women in history have had a personal code by which they lived their lives. Look at Conrad Hilton’s list and see how it might apply to your life. Make any modifications you wish. The important thing is that you do establish a set of rules by which to live your life; they will become the foundation for your success.