"Advice"

[Chevy350TPI 12]

Mostly geared towards the older guys of the group ... but definitely want replies from the younger guys as well.

During your life, you were given many pieces of advice - what are the most memorable tips given to you? What advice do you wish to pass on to others?

I'll start with "think with your big head not your little one" ... and I'll insert the [serious] tag here to at least try and keep this thread somewhat on topic/serious.

Listen to people with experience. I'm not talking listen to your old man talk about how he got hammered back in college every Thursday night ... I'm talking about listening to the guy who has been working for 30 years and knows the ins and out of the equipment, process, whatever you are dealing with. Listen to people with experience.

Don't say you know unless you really do. If you were to walk into a refinery and after a day I mentioned that you might want to watch the temperature of your furnace a little closer, don't reply with "I know" ... you know? Fine. That's great ... don't come running to me when it blows up.

Get as much education as you can and work your balls off when you are young. Nevermind the smoking/partying/drinking/gambling ... bust your butt and get great grades. Scholarships = free money ... apply for as many as you possibly can. Volunteer a little bit. Work four jobs during the summers between semesters. Don't piss your money away on 8000 watts and 6 15" subwoofers. Throw the money in the bank and start an RRSP, invest it, put it in terms, something. Car audio is a hobby, yes .... you'll spend $6000 right now when you really don't have that much to spend, turn around in a couple years and sell it for $3500, spend another $5000 on top of that ... and dig yourself deeper. It isn't going to make you rich. I'm not telling you not to buy stupid shit or things that you are interested in/make you happy, I'm saying be reasonable and be smart financially.

Watch out for the women. 98% of them cheat on you, lie, steal, and generally don't care about anything other than getting laid or spending your money. When you find the right one I pray that you know it and don't make a mistake of either keeping the wrong one or missing out on the right one.

You are number one. Watch out for yourself. You are the number one thing that should matter to you - take care of yourself. Take care of your family, watch out for your friends and co-workers. Always remember that you are number one.

Be a smart shopper and be smart financially. I save $5 a week in eggs by buying a carton of egg whites which replaces two dozen eggs. Riding my bike to work saves me $80 per month. That savings ($1220) pays the car insurance for a year.

It is alright to look ahead to the future, but don't plan too far in advance.

Be organized. Seriously.

Keep yourself mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically healthy.

Read. Utilize your local library and spend 5-10 minutes before bed reading something that you are interested in. Perhaps it will help you at work, maybe you'll learn a thing or two, or it might just turn out to be a good book that you recommend to me.

Wash your hands.

Get yourself out of debt. Do whatever it takes to get your head above water again.

Be able to communicate efficiently and effectively. It will really help you in the long run.

[JimJ 11]

Listen to people with experience. I'm not talking listen to your old man talk about how he got hammered back in college every Thursday night ... I'm talking about listening to the guy who has been working for 30 years and knows the ins and out of the equipment, process, whatever you are dealing with. Listen to people with experience.

I've tried to follow that, being around people who are smarter than me constantly - some of the guys in the local ham club are serious gearheads who'll draw out the workings of some pretty heady stuff on a napkin while having a biscuit and coffee, and I'll just sit there and go into sponge-mode and try to internalize as much as I can. That's how I got my background in tube gear...I went from going "Hey, that looks cool" to reading post after post of people who are a heck of a lot smarter than I am over on DIYAudio...

I've always thought that it's better to stay silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt

[y_d0c 0]

Im all for "working your balls off" and "getting good grades" but, college isnt for everyone.

do what makes you happy, but be smart about it. i.e Take things into account such as a family that you may want someday before deciding you want to work min wage for the rest of your life. Yes you may be happy, but there are others you need to take responsibility for...

Money isnt everything....dont get me wrong, it sure does help sometimes...but money isnt everything....

Know and love where you came from, it makes you the person you are today....

Do not take family for granted...

protect your family.

that is all for now

good topic btw

[KU40 173]

Think before you speak. Don't be so damn selfish, a lot of times giving a little ground saves so much stress that you wouldn't believe. Admit when you're wrong and move on. It's seriously not as bad as you think it is. BE HONEST. Think in terms of the other person. If you were in their situation, how would you wish to be treated or responded to in a situation? Calm the hell down. There's seriously nothing that a fight will solve if both parties will just use their brains and stop acting like morons. Cool heads will prevail. As someone once said, "Once I've lost control of my voice, I've lost the argument." Drive the speed limit and slow down in bad weather. There is no reason to go 70 when the road is covered in rain or snow, you'll find yourself in the ditch faster than you can blink. Echoing what somebody else said above, find the right girl and use your head about it. If things are shady, just give it up and forget her. Don't use the excuse of being afraid of being alone to stay with somebody. BE SELF CONFIDENT. But don't be arrogant.

Edited July 4, 2008 by KU40

[Chevy350TPI 12]

The old Italian saying I really like is ...

Chi va piano, va sano - chi va sano, va lontano.

He who goes slowly goes safely - he who goes safely goes a long way.

[Chevy350TPI 12]

Im all for "working your balls off" and "getting good grades" but, college isnt for everyone.

I should have been more specific - I meant if you are planning on going or already in, make the best of it. By all means I 100% support getting a trade or whatever else interests you.

[mrray13 30]

the two i live most by are,

it's only a stupid mistake if you don't learn from it

life is too short to take it seriously

regardless of what people might say, 100 years ain't shit in the long run, make the most of what you are given. and if you can't admit or can't see you are wrong, you'll never learn from that.

i'll toss in,

life's goal isn't to walk into heaven in a perfect body, but rather to slide in sideways yelling at the top of your lungs, damn that was one helluva ride!!!

oh yeah,

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[philsteroni 0]

``do your best and f*ck the rest`` (my dad always tells me that when he`s hammered lol) and ``you rent metal and buy concrete`` is another one i learned from my grandfather, which basically means to lease a car with some sort of warranty on it and to buy a house or property not the other way around aince cars never (almost never) gain value and property always (almost always) does.

[y_d0c 0]

life's goal isn't to walk into heaven in a perfect body, but rather to slide in sideways yelling at the top of your lungs, damn that was one helluva ride!!!

^ I like that...

Edited July 5, 2008 by y_d0c

[y_d0c 0]

Think before you speak. Don't be so damn selfish, a lot of times giving a little ground saves so much stress that you wouldn't believe. Admit when you're wrong and move on. It's seriously not as bad as you think it is. BE HONEST. Think in terms of the other person. If you were in their situation, how would you wish to be treated or responded to in a situation? Calm the hell down. There's seriously nothing that a fight will solve if both parties will just use their brains and stop acting like morons. Cool heads will prevail. As someone once said, "Once I've lost control of my voice, I've lost the argument." Drive the speed limit and slow down in bad weather. There is no reason to go 70 when the road is covered in rain or snow, you'll find yourself in the ditch faster than you can blink. Echoing what somebody else said above, find the right girl and use your head about it. If things are shady, just give it up and forget her. Don't use the excuse of being afraid of being alone to stay with somebody. BE SELF CONFIDENT. But don't be arrogant.

i agree, but, i believe sometimes people need a good ass beating

fudgeing smileys

Edited July 5, 2008 by y_d0c

[helotaxi 46]

Moderation, descretion, propriety.

Whatever your job is, take pride in doing it well. Know it inside and out. The people that matter will notice.

If you don't have the time/money to do something right, you certainly don't have the time/money to do it twice.

Pay yourself first. Invest some of every paycheck as soon as you're paid. If you don't ever have the money to spend, you won't miss it. Start early in your life because you can make more money later but you can't make up for lost time accruing interest.

It isn't all about you, so get over yourself.

I've never lost out by being generous, gracious and honest. Never.

There's no reason to sing your own praises. If you're really as good as you think you are, others will sing your praises for you. The choir is easier to hear than the soloist.

As a suprvisor, take care of your people and they will take care of you.

Lucky men survive their mistakes. Wise men learn from the mistakes of others. The goal should be to be a wise man with lucky friends.

Don't do anything that could have consequences that you aren't willing or able to handle. The second part to that is to accept responsibility for your actions and deal with the consequences.

[DevilDriver 28]

Question everything.

[ramos 2]

Here's a couple that have stuck with me the most

God ( or insert deity of choice ) has a reason for everything.

Life hands you lemons, make lemonade.

The wisest people in the world, are those who know they don't know everything.

Let your work speak for itself

The only stupid question is one unasked

Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be attached to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow.

[tezin87 0]

When I was growing up my dad would say, "Never lie, it's easier to remember the truth." This saying sticks with me because I've had a lot of shady friends throughout the years that should have followed that rule.

[dave_Edwards 1]

Question everyone......

When life hands you lemons.....squeeze em into your iced tea

[Godsmack 360]

Steve,

Much of the advice you wrote here is words I have heard all my life, and listened too late.

While I have no bits of advice that stick out in my head that have not already been said let me offer some of my own.

Never assume beacuse you are with a "friend" you are safe with their family. They may be good but their family can be the Mr Hyde aspect of them.

If you really want the girl when drunk, get the number and call the next day. Its not worth the bs if you forget something when you are with her.

School, school, school. If you don't have 5 million in the bank now, you need to be in school, so you can earn that living. Money may not buy happiness, but it sure makes it alot easier to achieve.

Lastly,

SAVE EVERYTHING

Tax returns, recepts, any money you can save, paperwork.

Shit that doesn't look "necessary" today is the shit you'd kill to have back tomorrow.

J

[Chevy350TPI 12]

Turning out to be a great thread - nice work guys

[Godsmack 360]

I got one more bit today

Whenever something negative happens, await the positive outcome but don't expect it.

Whenever something positive happens wait for the other shoe to drop

[y_d0c 0]

Be Humble

[vladd 26]

No such thing as good vs bad people, just good and bad opportunities for those people. Even the devil was an angel, and god wasn't always very nice.

balance work and fun, never take either of them too seriously.

and the one that's been passed down through the mullins generations...

never stick your **** where you wouldn't stick your tongue

[mrray13 30]

never stick your dick where you wouldn't stick your tongue

quoted for the truth

and i laughed my ass off!

and god has never been truely nice. he's a bit of a hyprocrite.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Dr Durden 0]

Watch out for the women. 98% of them cheat on you, lie, steal, and generally don't care about anything other than getting laid or spending your money. When you find the right one I pray that you know it and don't make a mistake of either keeping the wrong one or missing out on the right one.

Those are the bitches, not all women are that way. Damn, that's harsh.

My Dad told me once long ago, "Son, if it's wet and it's not yours - don't touch it." Wise words, indeed.

[Dr Durden 0]

My personal living philosophy (which is hard to live by, in reality):

Seek to understand before you seek to be understood.

It's all Law of Attraction, at the end of the day.

[dem beats 1,223]

One of my verry favorites. Applies to saving, to planning, to working on a project, to playing with the kids more, To working out, or to loosing weight, to anything else you want more of in your life.

...A year from now you will wish you would have started today.

[mrray13 30]

get to know your grandparents, they are worth it. and they won't be here forever.

maybe not real advice, but a blessing.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee