Best Advice Ever Received
Let’s talk about the best advice ever received. Throughout my life, I have received lots of great advice that I carry with me to this day. However, there are two pieces of advice in particular that I would consider the best advice that I have ever received, and still follow. This first was to be a leader and not a follower; to always create my own path and not worry about what others are doing.
I believe that this has served me well throughout my life, because sometimes following the crowd and doing what others are doing, can lead to trouble. Oftentimes, in an effort to fit in, we reluctantly go along with what our friends or family want to do, even if we know deep down that it is wrong, or that we just simply don’t want to do it or engage in it.
My parents have often expressed their pleasure in how I as a kid, never truly succumbed to peer pressure, and always moved to the beat of my own drum. Was I a perfect kid? Absolutely not. Sometimes, especially with my parents, I did push boundaries and tested them, which of course led to punishments and me learning not to do or say certain things again. For example, growing up, my mother would say to me “You better watch your attitude,” and I was dumbfounded because I did not think that I had one. She would say that it wasn’t what I said, but how I said it and the inflection in my tone, which has also served me well throughout life, because I became a little more cognizant of how I could come across at times.
But overall, being a leader and not a follower has allowed me to explore life as I wanted. As it turns out, I’ve just never been built to simply follow what others are doing. I’m kind of the devil’s advocate, which I talked about in more detail in my blog post entitled “Create Your Path.” You can read that article here. I have always enjoyed simply being me, allowing myself to be free.
It used to frustrate me at times that I was like this, because as an only child it could sometimes get lonely, and as children, we all want to fit in in some way. But I just could not bring myself to be part of something that the crowd was doing just because they were doing it. If something happened while following said crowd, who from that crowd would be there for me? Who from that crowd would take whatever punishment I had coming my way?
Another piece of advice that I take with me to this day is that I do not have to be perfect. I used to drive myself crazy thinking that every T had to be crossed, and every I had to be dotted before starting something. I still struggle with that today, although I am getting much better at it. I am a work in progress, and have learned to start where I am. I had to keep that in the back of my mind as I have started new projects and passions, specifically with launching This Realm of Existence Blog & Podcast.
I wanted everything to be perfect, and kept doing so much research until I had to remind myself that I do not have to be perfect and to just start. We’ve all heard the saying “You don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great.” I know that I will continue to perfect my blog and podcast, though it may never be perfect, and I have accepted that.
How many of us have waited or wanted to wait for things to be perfect before going after our dreams or goals? You waited and waited. Waited for this or that. You would say things like, “I’ll do that, when this happens, and then it will be perfect.” “I’ll want until I have more money. I’ll wait until I lose weight. I’ll wait until I meet my perfect partner.” You don’t need to wait for any of those things. You just need to take action. Any action towards fulfilling your dreams and goals. Once I realized that, I simply started.
When we think about highly successful people, be they celebrities or otherwise, they are not perfect in life, nor in what they do. As good as they may be having honed their craft for years, they still make mistakes, and that is ok. They are human and so are we. Be gentle with yourself and realize that you do not have to be perfect in order to get started. So, what is the best piece of advice that you have ever received that you continue to follow today? I’d love to hear it.
