12 Wise Bits of “Unsolicited Advice” | Tom Rapsas - Patheos

After reviewing the 167 pieces of advice offered by Kelly, I've compiled my 12 favorite bits. There was so much good stuff to choose from, ... 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Awisdomtree.PhotobyGillyStewartviaUnsplash. There’saguybythenameofKevinKellywhoIwasintroducedtothroughtheTimFerrisspodcast.Hewasbilledasthe“real-lifemostinterestingmanintheworld”whichisquiteatitletoliveupto.ThenIlistenedtothepodcastanddiscoveredwhythere’ssometruthinesstothis. KellyisthefoundingexecutiveeditorofWiredmagazineandspentdecadestravelingtheworld,muchofit,inhiswords,“photographingthedisappearingtraditionsofAsia.”Well-versedinawiderangeofsubjects,listeningtoKellyitmightstrikeyouthathe’soneofthose“smartestpersonintheroom”-types,someoneyoumightgravitatetoataparty. Thegoodnewsisthatlastyear,attheageof68,Kellypublishedablogpiecetitled68BitsofUnsolicitedAdvice.Hefollowedthatupthisyearwith99AdditionalBitsofUnsolicitedAdvice.Theyofferalotofwiseadvice.Someofitispractical,likethistidbit: Ifyouarelookingforsomethinginyourhouse,andyoufinallyfindit,whenyou’redonewithit,don’tputitbackwhereyoufoundit.Putitbackwhereyoufirstlookedforit. Here’sanothertipworthconsidering:  Don’tloanmoneytoafriendunlessyouarereadytomakeitagift. ButwhatIfoundmostcompellingarewhatIwouldtermhisrulestoliveby.Whilehisbitsofadviceareshort,manycomprisedofjustasentence,theirmeaningandimportancegomuchdeeper.Ibelievethatmuchofhiscounsel,iffollowed,canhelpanyofusbecomealittlebitwiser,alittlemorepreparedforwhateverlifemaysendourway. Afterreviewingthe167piecesofadviceofferedbyKelly,I’vecompiledmy12favoritebits.Therewassomuchgoodstufftochoosefrom,itwasastruggletoparsethelistdownto12.(Youcanfindthecompleteinitiallisthere,thefollow-uplisthere.)I’veaddedseveraladditionalthoughtsofmyowninitalics,aswellaslinkstostoriesI’vedoneonafewofthesubjects. 12WiseBitsof“UnsolicitedAdvice” Thatthingthatmadeyouweirdasakidcouldmakeyougreatasanadult—ifyoudon’tloseit.Don’tdownplaythethingsthatmakeyoudifferent;celebratethem.Theyarewhatsetsyouapartfromeveryoneelse. Beingabletolistenwellisasuperpower.Whilelisteningtosomeoneyoulove,keepaskingthem“Istheremore?”,untilthereisnomore.Trulylisteningtosomeonemaybethebestgiftyoucangiveafellowhumanbeing. Yourpassioninlifeshouldfityouexactly;butyourpurposeinlifeshouldexceedyou.Workforsomethingmuchlargerthanyourself. Discover yourpassionfirst,yourpurposesecond. Perhapsthemostcounter-intuitivetruthoftheuniverseisthatthemoreyougivetoothers,themoreyou’llget.Understandingthisisthebeginningofwisdom.Asimilarrulecomesfrom JohnTempleton:“Aswegiveourloveandappreciationtoothers,thegoodweputoutintotheworldreversescourseandflowsbacktous.” Youarewhatyoudo.Notwhatyousay,notwhatyoubelieve,nothowyouvote,butwhatyouspendyourtimeon.AsAnnieDillardsaid: Howwespendourdaysis,ofcourse,howwespendourlives.  Hatredisacursethatdoesnotaffectthehated.Itonlypoisonsthehater.Releaseagrudgeasifitwasapoison.Thesameadvicemightbegivenformanaginganger.Releaseit. Onthewaytoagrandgoal,celebratethesmallestvictoriesasifeachonewerethefinalgoal.Nomatterwhereitendsyouarevictorious.It’snotjustaboutthedestination,it’saboutthejourney. Themoreyouareinterestedinothers,themoreinterestingtheyfindyou.Tobeinteresting,beinterested.Putsimply,askquestionsandlistentotheanswers. Beforeyouareold,attendasmanyfuneralsasyoucanbear,andlisten.Nobodytalksaboutthedeparted’sachievements.Theonlythingpeoplewillrememberiswhatkindofpersonyouwerewhileyouwereachieving.Asimilarruleoflife:nooneontheirdeathbedeverwishedtheyhadspentmoretimeatwork. Whensomeoneisnasty,rude,hateful,ormeanwithyou,pretendtheyhaveadisease.Thatmakesiteasiertohaveempathytowardthemwhichcansoftentheconflict.Rememberthattheymaybegoingthroughtheirownhardstruggle. Thepurposeofahabitistoremovethatactionfromself-negotiation.Younolongerexpendenergydecidingwhethertodoit.Youjustdoit.Goodhabitscanrangefromtellingthetruthtoflossing.Oneplacetostart: considerstartingyourownmorningritual. Tobewealthy,accumulateallthosethingsthatmoneycan’tbuy.Whatwouldyourlistof“things”consistof?Love,friends,andpeace-of-mindarejustafewthatcometomind. Inspiration LifePhilosophy LifeRules wordstoliveby KevinKelly TimFerriss PreviousPost May19,2021 DoesGodExist?AParableAboutFaith NextPost June2,2021 A10-PointGuidetoFindingGod’sHidingPlace RecentComments 0 | LeaveaComment "Toansweryourconcludingquestion,yesitis.However,intheBibleoverall,andalsoin..." HowardPepper 2VeryDifferentViewsofHeaven—as..." "Muchmoreplausiblethan"God'sbeenthereallalong,youjusthaven'tbeendoingit..." BobSeidensticker A10-PointGuidetoFindingGod’s..." "Ihavetosayit:yoursisoneofthestupidestresponsesI'veread.Again,this..." Infiynite Thismaybethebestdescription..." "Mathematicsisafieldofmeasurementandequationsthatisappliedtoreality.Thoughit..." Infiynite Thismaybethebestdescription..." 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