Best advice you've ever gotten, or given.

Perhaps not life changing, but this advice from my grandfather has served me well.

"When you hear something behind you, turn and look to see who or what it is. You'll live longer."
 
Read this somewhere on the forums, but it helps most times I'm sure.

'Curb your initial Enthusiasm'

G2
 
It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
I took this proverb of Solomon literal and came here to Alaska and found a job as a remote fire guard. A few years later I met my wife and we have been happily married almost 29 years.
 
1.) Every problem has its own solution. ( A lesson on patience with what and whom you can't control.)
2.) Do it to it, and screw it. ( Get the job done, then leave it alone.)
3.) Live, Love, Laugh, Leave. Life's too short for one to grieve.
 
My big brother, upon hearing me tell him about being screwed out of a $10k starting bonus at my first big league job:

"oh, wow - I'm so proud - you've just learned the number one rule of business: "they ALWAYS TRY TO F*CK YOU""

That quote really helped me put work and business in perspective. Employers are out to make money from you, and they do so in part by screwing you over when given the opportunity if they believe they can get away with it. It's not personal, it's just business. When a business partner tries to take more than their share - it's not because they don't like you, it's because THEY ALWAYS TRY TO F*CK YOU. Accept that and it won't tear you up when it happens. It also gives you the proper mindset to make sure you're in a position where you won't get screwed. Watch your back and don't take it personal.

I do some work with Taiwanese companies and investors and they understand this at a profoundly elemental level. I've seen one Taiwanese investor literally screw his partner out of $1MM US - and his partner wasn't the least bit angry. I asked "wow - he's screwing you over, how can we stop that?" He said, "it's ok - the situation changed and it made sense to him to cut me out and take all the money. I'll make it up the next time he and I do this." Not only was he ok with the fact that his partner took all his money, but he had no hesitation about doing it over again! It was because he understood that it wasn't personal and that it was purely driven by business conditions. Weird, but it allows them to work in stressful business situations with complete peace of mind.
 
This one is from my mother:
"F*** 'em." She meant that I ought to stop caring what other people thought of me and live on my own terms. She turned out to be very very right.

You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.--C.S. Lewis
So very true.
 
I got this advice from one of my first writing clients, Teter & McDonald, who used to open for singer John Davidson:

"If they give, take. If they take, scream."

In other words, if someone offers you something, always take it. Even if you can't use it, you can make someone else happy with it. On the other hand, if someone takes something from you, no matter how small, never lie back and just accept it.
 
I will give you my grandads only piece of advice. Never volunteer for anything.

He is called up and on the first day the Sarge shouts. "Who can ride a motorbike cross coutry."

7 guys step forward eagerly, my grandfather one of them.

"OK you 7 report to the cookhouse and make good use of your army issue potato peelers."

It must have been 40 years later and it still ticked him off to think about it.
 
One I forgot- In German: "Lieber 'ne schreckliche Ende als Schreck ohne Ende."
"It is better a terrible end than terror without end."
Called it quits w/ a whacko woman this morning- after WAY too long. Good thing of which to remind myself.
 
The best advice would probably be from my father.In which he drilled into my.head from a very young age."If you're not gonna do it right,don't do it at all." Simple,I know..but I can't help but think it's responsible for me being such a perfectionist in everything I do,and getting really frustrated when I can't get it(whatever I'm doing)perfect,like I see it in my head.
 
The best advice would probably be from my father.(which he drilled into my head from a very young age BTW)."If you're not gonna do it right,don't do it at all." Simple,I know..but I can't help but think it's responsible for me being such a perfectionist in everything I do,and getting really frustrated when I can't get it(whatever I'm doing)perfect,like I see it in my head.

Oops double post,sorry bout that
 
My favorite, for times of indecision, was from an old mentor of mine:

"It's better to make an error of comission, rather than an error of omission."
 
Steve Hayden said:
My Grandad used to say:

"Never believe anything you hear and only half of what you see."
Click to expand...

Here's a more modern version that I use often.

"Don't believe anything you can't touch. Didn't we all see Forest Gump shake John Kennedy's hand?"

Another I like.

No husband was ever killed by his wife while he was washing dishes. ;)
 
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