One of my favorite subreddit is /r/AskOldPeople. The posts and replies put a lot of things going on in life in perspective.
Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?
31–40 of 281 posts
Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?
#32Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first This changed how i view people completely for good.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?
#33I once heard, "Never trust a man who won't clean his own toilet."
Sounds silly but you'd be amazed just how much truth lies within it.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?
#34This is a mix of Buddhist, Hindu, and Stoic philosophy: Ask yourself this, why do you do anything? For the sake of Profit? Recognition? Love? Or return of any kind? Any deed done with reward in mind creates an expectation which, if not met, causes suffering. Similarly, you will end up focusing more on the reward than the task itself and will unable to be loyal to the task. The only reason you must do a task is becaus…
Every action is reward driven and sel-interested.
The suffering stems from the reward being external. If the reward is in the self or from the action itself, then there is less suffering. Self fulfillment.
Less suffering only, to take into account an inability to act.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?
#35The best shaving cream/soap/oil is your favorite (or least despised) hair conditioner.
I think I learned that from Neil Gaiman. I don't think the source has much relevancy. You almost certainly have all the test materials you need already.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?
#36This is a mix of Buddhist, Hindu, and Stoic philosophy: Ask yourself this, why do you do anything? For the sake of Profit? Recognition? Love? Or return of any kind? Any deed done with reward in mind creates an expectation which, if not met, causes suffering. Similarly, you will end up focusing more on the reward than the task itself and will unable to be loyal to the task. The only reason you must do a task is becaus…
The last sentence sounds like a reward. Moreover, if I were to follow your advice, it would create an expectation of an exceptional discovery, that would cause me suffering, if not met.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?
#37“…for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ’If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been no for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.” - Steve Jobs' 2005 St…
"Chemotherapy today? No again!"
That "too many days in a row" is the critical part in this piece of advice in my opinion.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?
#38The Serenity Prayer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer) has helped me to put things into perspective many times.
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference."
There’s a lot that can cause you stress and anxiety that is entirely outside of your control and if you can be OK with not being able to control those things, life gets a whole lot happier.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?
#39Don't waste money. It makes a huge difference when you're 40 if you've wasted your developers salaries from 20-40 or not.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best advice you got on any aspect of life?
#40Follow your heart.
It really does know more than the rest of you. It takes courage to do it though...not surprising....root word for courage is heart.
Especially in our robotic, conformist society...this is invaluable. Lean into your intuition. Have the courage to speak from your heart, say what you feel, say what's on your mind. Best advice I ever had. When I fail to do that, it's cost me big time.