Don't wait for permission.
Ask HN: Advice that changed your life?
401–410 of 567 posts
Re: Ask HN: Advice that changed your life?
#402Re: Ask HN: Advice that changed your life?
#403At some point I came across this quote which has been credited to Mark Twain: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." I recall taking it to heart and trying to imagine the kind of regrets I would have as a 40 year old me. Short…
Wow! That's quite the path. I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to hear more about it.
How old were you when you took your trip? Did you continue working or just enjoy the travels?
Re: Ask HN: Advice that changed your life?
#404Time is the only thing you can't buy.
You absolutely can. We do it all the time by paying others to do simple jobs for us. When I pay someone else to mow my lawn I am buying time. If I didn't mind spending time mowing the lawn I would just do it myself.
You might even say that time is the only thing you can buy. Everything else is the outcome of time.
Re: Ask HN: Advice that changed your life?
#405My mother told me to not care what other people thought. She also told me that words can't really hurt people ("sticks and stones..."). She also believed its "mean" to have any preference about people, calling it a version of "keeping score". In fact, "keeping score" was one of the worst things you could be accused of in my household. Her advice fails to accept the reality of social and emotional needs. It also fails…
Not that I disagree with you, but what does "keeping score" actually mean? I don't understand how it's related to being mean or having "preferences" about people...
Re: Ask HN: Advice that changed your life?
#406Always take sides. By not taking a side you are automatically wrong. This doesn’t mean you should engage in identity politics, etc. but when faced with a choice take the time to make an informed decision. If you say something “should be a thing” you are automatically now in charge of creating it or convincing someone to create it. Do not tell people who are working on things that they should realize your idea if you…
> Plumbing is easier than you think. Learn to do it yourself.
Yep, same with electrical work around the house. Obviously not for everyone, but once you get past the initial hurdle of getting comfortable and safe with electricity, there's great pleasure to be had from knowing that you can fix any issue, with minimal cost.
Re: Ask HN: Advice that changed your life?
#407Earlier quoted context omitted.
Similarly I think “what if I die tomorrow”? This really helps me prioritize the experience I want from life over status, money, etc.
> what if I die tomorrow Never quit e really got that one. If I were to die tomorrow, I’d spend most of my money and do too much drugs. But what if I don’t die tomorrow? Then I’m broke and have a substance abuse problem. I don’t think that’s a particularly good way to make life choices personally.
I guess it's more about what if they die tomorrow ... if I died tomorrow, dunno I guess I would a little sad that I didn't have a substance abuse problem - but would depend on the substance.
Re: Ask HN: Advice that changed your life?
#408I was working in a small firm. Just killing it. My billable hours were twice what my colleagues were doing.
I asked my boss (who I didn’t have a great relationship with)
“Where do I go from here? What’s my promotion path?”
He said “the top of the company is full, if you want to go up, you’re going to have to go out”
I was astounded. He’s telling his most lucrative employee to quit. But, boy was it the right thing for me. I’ve never looked back and I’ve acted on that advice twice since then to achieve more upward trajectory.
Thanks Ben, I know you didn’t mean it in a positive way but it was just the advice I needed.
Re: Ask HN: Advice that changed your life?
#409Mentor advice: 1. An estimate is better than a guess. An measurement is better than an estimate. 2. It's never the money. (They will always say it is, but it's not.) 3. Never let anyone eat your lunch. 4. The best time to turn it on is before it's ready. You'll get plenty of data to finish it faster. 5. The only good Powerpoint slide is evergreen. If it's not, it's already obsolete. 6. Your positive mental attitude m…
11. The reason everyone we work for sucks is because those who don't suck never call us.
I especially like that one. Me, as a newbie in the industry: "Customer X is a bunch of idiots." Boss: "If they weren't idiots, they wouldn't need us."
This one, on the other hand:
4. The best time to turn it on is before it's ready. You'll get plenty of data to finish it faster.
If it's software, check your backups first.
If it's hardware, ummm, yeeahh, no. Wait 'til it's ready. Trust me on this one.
Re: Ask HN: Advice that changed your life?
#410Earlier quoted context omitted.
Words can break hearts when they come from a loved one, or someone you look up to. Why would what some random person says break your heart?
Because you're fourteen, those randos are your peer group, and you're stuck with them all day. Also, you're fourteen so you haven't quite figured out whose opinions should be important to you, and also you're wildly insecure about your position in your world.
Life is not fair and not a bed of roses, never will be.
These experiences make you tougher - in adult life, you will run into toxic bosses, colleagues, brutal job interviewers...
It is important to have a loving family and/or supportive friends who can provide a different point of reference.