Apr
2012
The Best Advice I Ever Got
I talk a lot about my llllloooonng commute to the office. It’s an hour+ each way- blah. The one thing that makes it more bearable though is that I started listening to books on tape cd. The radio and my ipod were getting really monotonous, but the books keep me engrossed.
Recently, I listened to Katie Couric’s The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives. It was sooo good that when it ended, I started over right from the beginning and listened to it twice all the way through.
For the book, Katie interviewed a ton of people– everyone from Mario Batali to Suze Orman, Bill Clinton, and Chelsea Handler. Through the stories of their lives and their journey to success, they all gave the very best advice they were given. And their advice was inspiring!
I think the most interesting thing I took away from it was that every single person interviewed was told at some point in their life that they would fail. They made mistakes and people told them no. But they ALL believed in themselves and their goals and pushed their way through. We all go through those times in our lives and knowing that the road is not easy, but hard work really does come through is such a wonderful lesson!
I liked all their advice so much, that I thought I would share some of it with you. It all sounds a lot better in the context of the story in the book than it does summarized in my post, so read listen to it if you can.
The Best Advice:
- My favorite story was from Kathryn Socket, who wrote the Help. Don’t Give Up. She received 61 REJECTIONS for the Help before it was finally published. She could easily have given up after 15. Or 30. Or even 60. But she didn’t. And because of that, she succeeded.
- There is no success without failure…..and usually a lot of it. So try. Fail. Try again. Fail better.
- Follow your bliss.
- Listen. Really, really listen.
- Always be yourself. There will never be anyone you can be better than that.
- Always say yes. To social invites, trips, new experiences. Saying yes opens you up to opportunities that you never would have expected.
- Dare to be happy. Let yourself be happy.
- Be LUCKY. Luck is a choice. Choose to think of yourself as more luck will follow.
- Find your magic. Figure out what makes you great. And trust me, there’s something in each of us.
My mom with Charlie at my sister's apartment.
The best advice I ever got was from my mom. I tend to be overly dramatic pretty often and get into pessimistic, glass-half-empty moods. One day when I was having “one of those days” when everything seemed to go wrong, I called my mom to commiserate about how terrible “everything” was.
She said to me, “Rebecca, some days are just like that.”
And just like that, I snapped out of it. ‘Cause you know what? She was right. Some days things don’t always go perfectly. Some days are harder than others. But that doesn’t mean that ALL days are like that. Or that my LIFE is like that. It’s just this day. And tomorrow will be better.
It still sticks with me whenever I get in those moods. I know that advice won’t resonate with everyone, but it’s what helps me.
I loved hearing everyone’s stories and it was so inspiring. I don’t think you have to be a celebrity to have good advice like that– I think we all are full of great advice.
So you tell me,
–What’s the best advice you’ve ever got?
–Who do you count on to give you good advice?
12 Comments on The Best Advice I Ever Got
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[...] was “one of those days”, but I took my mom’s advice and sure enough, for all the reasons yesterday was bad, today is [...]
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Melissa @ Swamp of Boredom
April 6, 2012 at 8:30 am (412 days ago)The best advice I ever received was from my in-laws on my wedding video. The videographer was going around asking for advice from married couples and my father-in-law paused, then said, “Don’t hang wallpaper together.”
Becca
April 6, 2012 at 4:03 pm (412 days ago)Lol! That’s great!
Brittany
April 6, 2012 at 8:38 am (412 days ago)My favorite pieces of advice actually came from me (that sounds so conceited ha!). I was going through some tough times a few years ago and came up with these two to make it through.
-Just because you stop doesn’t mean the world stops spinning around you. Pick yourself up and keep pushing through.
-If the floor disappears from beneath you, you must learn to fly or fall, the choice is always yours.
Becca
April 6, 2012 at 4:04 pm (412 days ago)Those are both great- I esp like the second one. So true!
ibrokemyumbrella
April 6, 2012 at 9:25 am (412 days ago)I love your mom’s advice! It’s so true. Some days are just bad, and that’s ok. My mom told me once, “Remember, you’re the one who has to live with you, so be someone you can be proud of.” I liked that. I still remind myself of that.
Becca
April 6, 2012 at 4:05 pm (412 days ago)Good advice from your mom- I like that
Michelle
April 6, 2012 at 12:09 pm (412 days ago)Love all of their advice! One day last year when I was miserable at my job, I talked to a fellow teacher for hours at the end of the day, and on the way out the door, he said, “Remember, life is too short to do something you don’t enjoy.” I know I’d hear a variation of this a thousand times, but he was the first person to say anything to me that meant it was okay to change careers if it was what I needed to make myself happy. I’m so happy I listened to him!
Becca
April 6, 2012 at 4:06 pm (412 days ago)That’s terrific! I love it when someone can say just the right thing to you at just the right time. Makes such a difference when you’re going through a hard time
Apples and Arteries
April 7, 2012 at 4:44 am (411 days ago)Great post! I have a lot of people in my life who like to give me advice…sometimes it’s warranted, other times it’s everyone wanting to tell me what to do
But my dad has always been full of great advice…
Becca
April 7, 2012 at 9:18 am (411 days ago)Haha- so true, i could fill a whole other post on the WORST advice I’ve gotten!
Katie
April 8, 2012 at 7:14 pm (410 days ago)I have a 30-minutes-each-way commute to school each day, and believe me, I whine about it plenty! I started listening to books as well to pass the time, and I love it. I never thought I would be able to focus, but it works great. Plus as a college student, it’s the only way I get to “read” for fun anymore.
Becca
April 8, 2012 at 8:47 pm (410 days ago)True- I end up reading more than I would without the CDs…and I also end up listening to things I prob wouldn’t have picked up in book form, which is nice too!