Ask YC: What's the best advice you ever got?

After reading a recent post here with "best advice" from 13 prominent business people, I was underwhelmed. Now I know why. I'd rather hear from you guys than from them.

The best advice I ever got was from a board member of a startup I was involved in some years ago. He was a member of the European parlaiment, had started two multi million dollar companies, and generally a guy that you would want to listen to. His advice came at a very early stage of our startup and was very simple: Make a prototype that looks great, nobody will care how the hell it works but it has to look good.

Don't put metal in a microwave.

"Find what race you belong in, drive yourself ruthlessly to win that race. If you win, great. If you lose, go read some comics and do some beers as there's no use winning if you can't smile all the way to the finish line."

It's from a coach from long ago, but it has served me well many times outside of running.

"After you go to the bathroom, you don't just stand there and look at what you just dropped in there for all night long. At some point you gotta flush it, man." ~ Kobe Bryant

"Whether you believe you can or you believe you can't, you're right." ~ Ron Sutton

My other favorite quotes are at: http://melvinram.tadalist.com/lists/906581/public