The best advice you've ever gotten?

Is there one piece of advice that's stood out for you as you've made your way in this world? Perhaps it was a sage reporter, a crotchety editor not named spnited or some random person on the street who said something that just resonated with you.

For me, the piece of advice that's stood out even though it's been 20 years since I heard it came from a 13-year-old when I was in summer camp. I was 16 at the time and I'd decided not to compete in certain events because I knew I wasn't athletic enough or coordinated enough to do anything but finish dead last.

The thing I find interesting about this is the kid and I did not get along, but for some reason, he felt it was necessary to give me advice that has rung in my ears since. He told me to try and don't worry if I'm not good. "You'll get good." Whether I believed it or not when it came to athletics isn't that important since I'm certainly no LeBron James, but when applied to life, it now reminds me of lyrics from a long-ago Stevie Nicks outtake: "If you do not run the race, then you cannot win it."

I guess one of the reasons that advice stood out was the fact it came from an unexpected source.

 

The best advice I ever got was "Know when to shut the fuck up."

It sounds very simple, but it really is great advice.

 

My grandfather made furniture after he retired. I have some of his works in my house, and I treasure them as much as someone could treasure something that isn't living. When I was little, I'd wander down to his shop, and ask him "Daddaw, what are you trying to do?" "Trying? I'm not trying to do anything. I'm doing."
I've since taken that to say "try" admits that one is okay with failure from the beginning. I don't know if that's what he meant, but that's how I'm viewing it now that I'm older.

 

My best friend keeps telling me, "You're your own worst critic. Don't beat yourself up." I'm convinced that when I'm able to do that, I'll be much happier. It's a work in progress.

 

From my parents: Work hard in school, so you can sit in an air conditioned office in the summer time and don't have to dig ditches for a living.

Although at times, journalism sure felt like digging ditches.

 

You should follow it every once in a while.

 

Expendable's Daddaw is Yoda.

On the advice front, I was told to find out what it was I liked to do and then find a way to make a living doing it.

 

Awesome. He told me that long before Yoda came along. Thanks for the connection. When 90 years old I reach, look as good, I will probably not.

 

Two stick out.

The first is from my dad "I don't what you do, but quit breaking up and getting back with your girlfriend because you're going to get her pregnant and then we're all going to be screwed."

The second is from my friend's uncle, who despite being gay, knows a ton about women. "Always have confidence, never burn bridges, and always leave them wanting more."

 

"Go to class."

 

I never thought about it until advice until, oddly enough, I thought back to it a couple days ago while at an MLB game, imparting it to my own little one.

When my dad and I would go to games growing up, if someone made a great play to rob my team, he would always clap for that person. Sometimes, if the catch was really amazing, he would give a standing ovation. Often, he would be the only person in the section, possibly one of the few in the stadium, cheering for this guy from the opposition. I thought he was nuts. But he explained to me repeatedly that when someone makes a great play, you should show your appreciation whether he plays for the team you cheer for or not.

I think that mindset really helped me appreciate sports as a grounded, impartial observer from the very beginning, rather than as a lunatic idiot face-painting talk radio fan. And I think it has seeped over into the real world, as well, where I tend not to divide the world - be it politicians, celebrities, athletes, people I work with, etc., etc. - into good guys and bad guys in a way that I think can often become counterproductive.

 

Cowboy Wisdom:


Always drink upstream from the herd...



Financial Wisdom:


Buy low; sell high...