Is being where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there becoming a lost art?

I'm not normally a "quote guy," by which I mean I don't collect and/or share interesting quotes like a lot of people do on Facebook and Twitter. I find most inspirational quotes to be a little too simplistic to be of any real use.

But there is one that has stuck with me, and I honestly don't know exactly how it goes or even who said it for sure. The first time I came across it, it was attributed to Woody Allen and it read this way: "88% of life is just showing up."

I've seen other versions of the quote in which that percentage varies from a low of 80% to as high as 99%. And I've seen the quote attributed to other people. I have no idea whether Woody himself actually said it or if it was someone else. And I can't say to the percentage point how important showing up really is.

All I know is that, from my experience, it's really important.

This is one of those lessons I try to convey to my children. It's amazing how far you can get if you just show up where you're supposed to be every day. Work, school, home, sports practices, music lessons, whatever. If you make a commitment to be there, you should be there.

I'm not saying that showing up is all it takes. Once you get to work, for example, you have to actually, you know, work. But just getting yourself there puts you stunningly far down the path to success.

It sounds easy, and in some ways it is. But I'm always amazed at the number of people for whom showing up is a major challenge. They may be there, they may not be. These people seldom seem to reach their goals or achieve anything meaningful.

I think back to when I was in school. I never had perfect attendance, but I was close most years. Staying home from school seemed like a good thing in the morning when I didn't feel good, but then 3:30 would come around and I would see my friends getting off the bus from school and realize that I had probably missed a lot and would have to work twice as hard to catch up.

If you just show up, you avoid putting yourself in that kind of jam.

We all wake up some mornings and just want to stay in bed all day. But don't let yourself do it. Don't let yourself sleep through the half hour when you should be exercising. Don't keep hitting the snooze button and detract from getting yourself ready for a productive and successful day.

Get out of bed and do whatever you're supposed to do.

Again, I know that sounds a little obvious and even easy, but it's what the most successful people do. You and I should, too.

Things I would really like my children to learn

How to use the plunger

Look, sometimes in the course of routine toilet operation, you're going to get a back-up. And that's OK.

Maybe you overestimated the amount of paper the toilet could accommodate in a single flush. Maybe your little brother shoved a stuffed animal down there. Maybe you ate four Big Macs for lunch. Whatever the reason, it happens to the best of us and we're not going to fault you for it.

However, being absolved of blame does not mean you are absolved of responsibility. You must work to clear the blockage. It's your sworn duty as a member of this household to grab the plunger and try to force through whatever is backing up the toilet.

If you need help in learning proper plunging procedures, ask. I will gladly help you. Just don't walk away and leave it for someone else to deal with.

Also, as a side note, don't think I didn't giggle two paragraphs ago when I used the word "duty" in this context.

The practical advantages of telling the truth

Yes, lying to your parents is morally wrong. That alone should be reason enough not to do it.

But there's also this: Telling the truth is going to save you from having to incur even worse punishment.

You know how your mother always tells you to just admit it when you screw up because lying about it will get you into exponentially deeper trouble? She's not kidding about that.

And you and I both know she'll eventually figure out you're not telling the truth. You can almost certainly fool me, but that's only because I'm clueless. Your mom? She knows, man. She just knows.

The value of showing up

Here's one of these little life secrets that I, as the parent, am supposed to impart to you:

A surprising percentage of life success comes from simply being where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there. Seriously, you won't believe the rewards for just showing up.

Whether it's work or school or a family commitment, show up. There are two advantages to this:

(1) People will be impressed, which means they will be more likely to give you the things you want.

(2) If you're dreading a meeting you have scheduled or you just don't feel like working on a particular day, showing up and getting started will go a long way. Problem situations are never as bad as they seem once you turn up and start tackling them head-on.

Trust me on this. Just show up.

If people want to mix ketchup and mustard, that's OK

And by that I mean this: As you venture out into the world on your own, you're going to encounter a wide range of people whose life experiences and individual tastes differ greatly from your own. These people will say and do things that are utterly unfamiliar to you.

Which should be totally fine, as far as you're concerned. Do not dismiss them out of hand simply because they're not like you.

That's not to say I don't want you to make moral judgment calls. We've tried our best to teach you right from wrong, and I'm confident you can (and will) tell the difference.

But don't assume your way is the only way. Consider other perspectives. Respect them. Don't be willfully blind to ways to build a better mousetrap.

In other words, even if you yourself would never mix ketchup and mustard on a hot dog, it doesn't mean others won't. And it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it.

(I do it myself occasionally. And I'm only semi-ashamed to admit it tastes great.)