I read an article recently by the author of a book titled "Raising an Entrepreneur." She talked about things the parents of most of the people she interviewed for the book did when their kids were young. You may not have kids yet, or they may not be so young anymore, but I though the four things she listed were worth mentioning for people of any age:

1. "They supported their children's passions." Few of the kids grew up to do what they were passionate about as kids, but working hard at things they were excited about helped them to develop grit that served them well in other activities later. It's never too late to develop more grit by working hard on things we enjoy.

2. "They taught their children to embrace failure." This enabled them to live without fear of setbacks, but to see them as feedback to help them improve. They focused on effort, not just achievement. It's never too late to overcome fears that can otherwise limit our lives in many ways.

3. "They encouraged curiosity and autonomy," which helped them learn to explore new possibilities rather than just assuming that things had to be the way they've been in the past.  It's never too late to enrich your life with new ideas and activities.

4. "They emphasized empathy and compassion." "Most of the entrepreneurs in my book,” she wrote, “were taught early on to empathize with others, and they grew up wanting to solve the concerns and problems of the people around them... They were raised with a genuine desire to improve people's lives."  It's certainly never too late to develop more love for others and to find ways to serve.