I've had this little gem tucked away for many years, and I refer to it from time to time to remind myself of what's really important. I've searched for the source, which I haven't been able to find, because I'd like to thank the author for these wonderful lessons.

Here are the original thoughts, followed by my impressions.

The most destructive habit: Worry.

The greatest joy: Giving.

The greatest loss: Loss of self-respect.

The most satisfying work: Helping others.

The ugliest personality trait: Selfishness.

The most endangered species: Dedicated leaders.

Our greatest natural resource: Our youth.

The greatest "shot in the arm": Encouragement.

The greatest problem to overcome: Fear.

The most effective sleeping pill: Peace of mind.

The most crippling disease: Excuses.

The most powerful force in life: Love.

The most incredible computer: The brain.

The worst thing to be without: Hope.

The deadliest weapon: The tongue.

The two most power-filled words: I can.

The greatest asset: Faith.

The most worthless emotion: Self-pity.

The most beautiful attire: A smile.

The most prized possession: Integrity.

The most contagious spirit: Enthusiasm.

First, let's talk about worry. Did you know this word is derived from an Anglo-Saxon word that means to strangle or to choke? People do literally worry themselves to death -- or heart disease, high blood pressure, ulcers, nervous disorders and all sorts of other nasty conditions. Worry can destroy your peace of mind. The best remedy? Remember that tomorrow is a new day, full of promise.

Giving/helping others -- These two go hand-in-hand. You are always in a position to give, just as you can always help someone. Never pass up an opportunity to share what you have. Dedicated leaders understand that they have tremendous power to help those they lead by setting a solid example and demonstrating the highest standards.

Selfishness -- The old quote says it all: "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit." An offshoot of selfishness is self-pity, which no one should waste time on anyway. Perhaps the worst effect is loss of self-respect. Self-respect is what motivates you to be the best you can be. And in turn, you can motivate others to be their best.

Encouragement is oxygen to the soul. People appreciate recognition, encouragement and praise. Offering encouragement based on a person's character or actions inspires them to perform in such a manner that invites additional praise. Be careful not to let the tongue undo the positive effects of encouragement. Use it for good.

Fear -- Every crisis we face is multiplied when we act out of fear. When we fear something, we empower it. If we refuse to concede to our fear, there is nothing to fear.

Excuses -- We all make excuses from time to time. However, the day you stop making them is the day you will move up in the world.

Hope is what gets many of us through our worst days. Hope is believing that every cloud has a silver lining, and when that cloud rains, it makes things grow. A perfect partner is faith, for without faith, hope is meaningless. Love completes this trio. Real power comes through when you love someone or something, whether it's a career or a cause.

A smile improves your looks. I learned years ago that one of the most powerful things you can do to have influence over others is to smile at them. It should be standard equipment for all people.

Integrity -- either you have it or you don't. If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters. Doing the right thing is never the wrong thing to do.

Enthusiasm is the spark that ignites our lives. It's one of the most important attributes to success. It also leads to the confidence required for achievement.

Pass as much encouragement as possible to our youth, the people who will inherit this world. I am constantly encouraged by the dreams and aspirations of the young people I mentor, and I want them to pass their experiences to future generations.

Finally, the brain. What a gift we have with our brain. Unlike your computer, it may not perform rapid-fire, complex calculations. But attached to the heart, it can make better decisions and produce infinitely better results.

Mackay's Moral: If you want life's best, see to it that life gets your best.

My daughter Mimi called me up many years ago and said, "Hey Dad, let's take a crack at running the New York City Marathon." I trained for six months for the 1987 race. The starting gun fired, about 22,000 runners started, 21,244 runners finished and 1.5 million people lined the streets.

First place went to a Kenyan: 2 hours, 11 minutes, 1 second. The last place finisher was a Vietnam veteran -- four days, 2 hours, 48 minutes and 17 seconds. This human being, Bob Wieland, covered 26 miles, 385 yards with no legs. He ran on his hands. My daughter and I passed him in the first few minutes of the race. It wasn't too difficult for us to finish the race after seeing that display of bravery and determination, so typical of our country's military.

As a student of history, I have always been particularly fascinated with the impact our armed forces have had on our American experience. In so many ways, they have shaped the country we have become as they defended the freedoms we enjoy. It's only fitting that there is a national holiday honoring the remarkable service of these selfless men and women.

This year marks the 97th anniversary of the last day of World War I -- the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson decreed that Nov. 11 should be observed as Armistice Day, with companies honoring the occasion by suspending business for two minutes at 11 a.m. and communities holding subsequent parades and events.

In 1938, Congress enacted legislation making Armistice Day a legal federal holiday. In 1954, veteran organizations successfully lobbied Congress to change the name of the observance to Veterans Day in order to include and honor the efforts of those who fought in World War II and in the Korean War. In 1968, the federal government passed legislation to observe legal holidays on Mondays, arguing that three-day weekends would encourage travel and recreation, thus stimulating the economy.

But the significance of the date was not lost on President Gerald Ford. During his term, Veterans Day was moved back to Nov. 11 to honor its history.

Today, U.S. military officials point out that many people confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day. Memorial Day honors military personnel who died in battle or as a result of their wounds. Veterans Day is set aside to thank and honor all those who served in the military, in wartime and in peacetime. It is intended to thank living veterans for their services, to acknowledge their contributions to national security and to underscore their sacrifice and duty.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there are around 21.8 million living veterans, out of our total population of more than 320 million. Statistically, that gives each of us plenty of opportunity to personally say thanks for their service.

I offer this brief history lesson for a reason: No other group in American history deserves recognition more than our veterans. I am honored to devote my column to those who have served our country and those who continue to protect us today.

There's a business side to military service too. Training, discipline, leadership, accountability, loyalty -- the traits that are ingrained in the military are just as important to business success. We ask our service members to do jobs that no one really wants to do. They aren't offered a choice to say no. Great leaders are groomed in service as well.

I once shared the podium with Gen. William Westmoreland, who told this story about himself.

Westmoreland was in Korea in the '50s, speaking to 10,000 Korean cadets out in the audience. They didn't speak English, so there was an interpreter. Most speakers like to open up with a humorous story, and Westmoreland was no different. He took 45 seconds to tell one.

An interpreter, standing right next to him, took 7 seconds to relate the information. All of a sudden, 10,000 Korean cadets were hooting with laughter.

Westmoreland was outraged. "What's going on here?" he asked. "I take 45 seconds to tell a story, you take 7 seconds, they're all hollering with laughter, what did you tell them?"

"I tell them American general tell funny story, everybody laugh."

Mackay's Moral: Veterans, we salute you.

If you've ever had anything custom-made, you know how satisfying the experience can be. Whether it's a new house, a bespoke shirt or even a special sandwich, getting exactly what you ordered is gratifying.

That's why I think we should rename customer service to "custom service." Every customer contact should involve custom care and accommodations. Each interaction needs to be "custom built" to meet the customer's specs.

I have long preached the concept of humanizing your selling strategy. In addition to building a strictly business relationship, you need to get to know your customers as people. Find out what their interests are, learn about their families and discover what you might have in common.

I have shared my formula for learning about customers in the Mackay 66, a customer profile that we use at MackayMitchell Envelope Co. religiously. It's available free on my website, harveymackay.com.

But as I so often say, knowledge does not become power until it is used. This information is a starting point to help you customize every meeting, phone call or email. You need to be creative to make your encounters memorable. Let me give you some examples, shared by readers of this column.

One woman wrote about a practice she used in her years as a customer service rep. Whenever a customer -- particularly a new customer -- left her a voicemail, she would save the message and listen to it until she could recognize the voice. That would let the customers know that their business mattered to the company.

Establishing that kind of relationship is critical to customizing the sale: It eliminates the formalities and lets the players get down to business. The customer feels more comfortable with the salesperson, so the conversation can begin on a high note.

Another reader told about two different encounters she had with people she had hired to work in her home. She was extremely impressed with the person who came to service her air conditioning system. He told her about his commitment to providing exemplary service, educating his employees and developing a business structure that utilizes technology to improve efficiency and quality control.

He made sure she was completely satisfied with the job and guaranteed his work, which, of course, he did correctly the first time. His attention to detail and consideration for her home were not lost on her. She has recommended his company repeatedly.

But the carpenter she hired to customize her closet was a major disappointment. He let her know in no uncertain terms that this job was too small to be worth his time and that he only accepted it because he had an opening in his schedule.

He ignored her ideas and proceeded to install shelving that was uneven. When she asked him to fix the problem, he instead said he would just give her payment back and quit. She was left with a mess, but was relieved that he was out of her house. Her custom closet was a custom disaster. I wonder how long he will stay in business.

A friend whose company manufactures industrial parts has worked with one supplier for decades, even though other suppliers call on him regularly, often with more competitive pricing. But he stays with that company because of two experiences that proved its loyalty to him.

Years ago, the third shift had an equipment breakdown in the middle of the night, the kind of problem that could idle the factory for days and delay deliveries. His supplier's rep showed up at the factory within hours to offer help tracking down replacement parts or even finding alternate locations for production. Talk about custom service!

Then, when their long-time rep was preparing to retire, the supplier sent the rep and her replacement to spend time at the factory until the new rep was thoroughly familiar with its needs. Instead of relying on files and old orders, they took a very personal interest. That sealed the deal.

Too often, customer service is anything but. One size does not fit all. Your customers deserve your very best. Great customer service is only a starting point. Custom service takes your business to a whole new level.

Mackay's Moral: If you want to keep your customers, offer custom service.