16 Things I Learned From Fortune Cookies

Serendipity. Great word. It means a “fortunate happenstance” or “pleasant surprise.” It was coined by good ol’ Horace Walpole back in 1754.

I’m sure you all knew that.

Why serendipity? It helps explain this post.

My last post was about leaving comments, which made me think of fortune cookies. Why? Because they contain little comments. So to speak.

I scratched out a few fortune cookie gags, and decided to draw them up. Did you hear about the fortune cookie with the recurring nightmare?

An understandable neurosis. Here’s a closeup.

Some fortunes can be intimidating. One should take them with a grain of salt. Or a low-sodium salt substitute… : )

Anyone notice the young musician has 4 fingers on one hand, and 3 on the other? Oops…

I wondered if there were any fortune cookie sites. Silly me. There’s a site for everything these days.

I found one where you can submit actual fortunes received in a cookie. I did some calorie-free browsing, and selected 14 that made me stop and think, and another two that made me laugh. Here they are, along with some brief commentary:

1. The project on your mind will soon gain momentum.

Not by itself it won’t. Thinking about projects becomes a substitute for starting them. Ask me, I know.

2. Beauty is simply beauty. Originality is magical.

An essential truth, especially for an artist. Without a good idea, an original approach, even the most beautiful work won’t be compelling.

3. You don’t need talent to gain experience.

You do need skills to succeed. But you don’t need fully-developed skills to begin. Jump in. Get experience. You’ll learn a lot as you go along.

4. Too many people volunteer to carry the stool when it’s time to move the piano.

Ha! I usually volunteer to sit on the stool. Let’s face it: we only learn and grow when we take on significant challenges. Move the piano.

5. You are what you are; understand yourself before you react.

We can’t “cure” a personality trait. But if we acknowledge a certain emotional tendency (a quick temper, for example), we can stay vigilant– and hopefully keep it from sabotaging us during a moment of crisis.

6. One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears–by listening to them.

So many of us just want to be heard. We’re more open to another’s point of view if they listen with full attention to ours.

7. Before the beginning of great brilliance, there must be chaos.

Every artist knows this. I think it’s true for any great venture, any line of business. Change and creation are messy. Stay calm, press on.

8. The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but to hold hands.

Also true for families and teams. We all need help. Disagreements are inevitable. Successful teams stick together despite disagreements.

9. People enjoy having you around. Appreciate this.

Quick story: I once worked for an insurance company as a programmer-analyst. I was one of the lesser lights in the department. One day, feeling down, I told someone, “I don’t feel like I contribute very much.” The person (who wasn’t a close friend) said to me very seriously: “But you make people laugh– and that’s so important.” I was speechless. I can think of many people I enjoy having around. I bet you can, too.

10. The measure of time to your next goal is the measure of your discipline.

File this one under Painful Truth. We know what we want, we (mostly) know what needs to be done. The missing ingredient is discipline.

11. When you can’t naturally feel upbeat it can sometimes help you to act as if you did.

Easier said than done, but worth a try. There have been many studies which have concluded that acting a certain way can affect your mood.

12. Customer service is like taking a bath: you have to keep doing it.

Ha! Also true for blogging. And social media. And marketing. And staying in touch. And keeping up with technology… Right. Pass the soap.

13. Isn’t there something else you should be working on right now?

This one made me roar. Then I realized how true it was. We embrace distractions of all kinds– including, alas, social media and the internet.

14. You don’t get harmony when everyone sings the same note.

And you don’t learn anything when everyone has the same opinion. Want to understand the value of diversity? Ask a fortune cookie.

Weren’t there supposed to be two more funny ones? Yes– and here they are:

15. Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together as they do in you.

What’s so funny about that? It describes me perfectly… : )

16. I am a fortune. You just broke my little house. Where will I live now?

That one made me bust out laughing– and then I felt guilty for making someone homeless. I thought it was just a cookie. Who knew??

Which brings up a existential question: do fortune cookies have feelings? Are they cognizant beings?? Well… maybe so.

I’m done. And I suddenly have the most intense craving for sweet-and-sour chicken and fried rice. How odd…

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Do you always crack open your fortune cookie and read the fortune? Do you ever actually eat the cookie??

Ever gotten a fortune that “spoke” to you, or came true? Care to share it?

Has anyone ever gotten the fabled “Help! I’m being held prisoner in a Chinese fortune cookie factory!!” ??

Hope you’ll leave a comment.

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