I had a laugh out loud moment when I read this quote by Lewis Carroll from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass. “She generally gave herself very good advice, (though she very seldom followed it).” I thought it sounded as if Lewis Carroll were talking to me. I am capable of giving great advice (especially for others). I am less than willing to apply it to myself. I’m not sure one has to be logical all the time in his/her decision making. Sometimes it feels right and we decide contrary to the prevailing opinions and advice. There are other times when we have to see for ourselves what will happen if . . .” Fill in whatever you want after the “If.” For me, it’s usually a challenge to the established way of doing things. It certainly has been the source of many adventures.
advice
Say Yes to Opportunity When it Knocks
A wise friend gave me a sage piece of advice. She said, “Ray, when an opportunity knocks on your door let it in. It probably won’t pass your way again.” Opportunity often knocks at the most inopportune times making it easy to turn away from it. I think it happens that way to test us to see how badly we want it. It wants us to put our energy and passion into the opportunity it is presenting to us. No half way in. It wants us to go all in. That can be intimidating. It’s why most turn away from it with the hope that they will seize it when everything is right. Mostly, things are never always right. It takes a leap of faith and courage to say yes to opportunity when it knocks. Here’s hoping you have an overloaded supply of both.
Sometimes You Have Roll With It
An older friend gave me a great piece of advice when I was younger. When I remember it, life suddenly takes a turn for the better. His advice was simple, “Ray, when things are not the way you like them and you can’t change them, roll with it.” It works. Here’s an example of how I recently used his advice, This past Sunday I went for breakfast at a French bakery. I ordered coffee and a speciality omelet. On Sundays I like to treat myself to one of their bran muffins. They were out of the bran muffins. I could get upset and leave or I could roll with it. I rolled with it and asked for the blueberry muffin instead. Not quite as healthy, but it was delicious.
Today’s Thought: Making a Decision?
We all face big decisions. Most will ask others what they think about the choices. We may even do some research. In the end, the decision is ours. We can’t lay off blame on someone else. It is squarely on our shoulder. A mentor gave me three guidelines: 1) Never sell out. 2) Keep your soul intact. 3) Will you want everyone to know what you decided? I’ve tried to follow my mentor’s advice. Sometimes following his advice has caused me problems, but they were the kinds of problems caused by doing the right thing. I can live with myself. And, I think being able to live with yourself is a big deal.
Feel Good Tip ~ When Good Advice is Not Taken
Have you ever given your best advice to someone you love then watched them ignore it? I have. Some folks have to learn the hard way. They believe they have all the answers. We create anxiety for ourselves when we give advice to people we know will not listen to us. It takes effort, but letting go and letting others figure it out for themselves is often best. When we keep our own counsel we relieve our pressure and those who are not listening eventually will learn a hard lesson.
What If . . .
What if I quit settling for less than what I deserve? I was fortunate early on in my career a mentor took me aside and gave me sage advice. He said it a bit differently, but his meaning was clear. He said never settle for less than what you’re worth. I followed his advice. I was criticized by friends for being foolish and turning down job offers. I turned them down because I followed my mentor’s advice. Patience always paid off. Never settle for less than what you’re worth. You’ll feel good about yourself. And, others will respect you.
Today’s Power Thought ~ Creating an Environment for Dialogue
Most people shut down when we tell them what to do. When we ask, would you like some help? We inform them that our door is open and they’re invited in. Once they walk through the door, we can say, ‘have you thought about this? The opportunity suddenly appears for a dialogue around the central issue.
Today’s Power Thought ~ Make Your Own Decisions
Folks are always willing to give advice and much less likely to take advice. It’s wise to listen to what others have to say. It’s wiser to weigh it and make one’s own decision. We’re always better off when we make our decision based on our interests and made to make another happy with us.
