Last weekend, one of the civilian analysts I work with during my reserve drill weekend told me that her little brother was just commissioned in the Marine Corps and was starting The Basic School in Quantico, VA. She asked if I could give him some advice as he began his career, and when he shot me an email, one of the first thoughts that came to my mind was an advice one of my mentors (an old Marine infantry Captain) gave me back in 2002 when I was a brand new butter bar.
"You may never be the strongest or the fastest and probably not the smartest, but you better always strive to be the toughest."
Of course, the context he gave me this advice was as a brand new platoon commander of an infantry platoon. However, I've thought of this advice in many different ways throughout my adult life.
I will say though, the one that I still laugh at even now is the one that my first battalion commander gave to me and two other Second Lieutenants when we checked in to our first infantry battalion:
"I'm going to treat you like the leaders that you are. But if you fail to act like one, I'm going to bend you over that conference table and fuck you. And it's going to hurt me more than it's going to hurt you."
Yeah, we all left his office with "WTF was that look." He turned out to be one of the best officers that I've ever worked for/with.
So what is the best or the most memorable advice you have received or even given?
but you probably would have gotten in trouble if you emailed that advice back to the kid
What if you're dumb and lazy?
Quote:
with hard work.
What if you're dumb and lazy?
Post on BBI game threads.
1. Proverbs 3:5
2. Jealousy and envy only lead to unhappiness, be genuinely joyful for others and their success
3. Treat others as you would like to be treated
In life's ambitions:
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity
When working:
1. Always work as hard as you are able, even if nobody is looking or will know
2. Have pride in what you do
3. Treat your employers business as if it were your own
When making commitments:
To always under promise and over deliver
In business:
Never allow ego or emotions to influence a business decision
With money, saving and finances:
1. Pay yourself first
2. The power of compounding and how time is the most important component
3. Don't finance anything that depreciates
4. Live within your means
So hard for me to limit these types of things and I could go on but I'll stop here since I already probably went beyond what the spirit of the questions intent.
"If you're going to get drunk, don't drive. And if you're going to fuck the first fat chick, who gives you attention this weekend, then make sure you wrap it up. You don't want to be stuck with her for the next 18+ years."
No need to apologize, but I do like your reasoning behind Proverbs 3:5. So you do have one that stands out!...:)
2) it's all pink in the inside
3) and something one of my high school teachers said, "you won't remember the irrelevant stuff like what went in in the hallways and amongst others, you're here for tests"... Kind of boring but I will always remember that, because looking back, High School was kind of terrible.
And while I did follow his advice, I pretty much loved everything about Basic other than the fucking push ups.
"Fifty years from now nobody's gonna remember." - my grandmother
There's no "we" either.
"No matter what you do for a living you are going to be miserable, so take the job that is going to pay you the most money"
Approaching 40 and having more than my fair share of jobs I agree that there is no perfect job (each job had its stresses & benefits) and money becomes increasingly important as you are raising kids & starting a family.
You can pick your nose but you can not pick your family.
Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.
Not easy principles to accept and practice perfectly, but my life is a whole lot more rewarding since I started making an honest effort to try
"...if you work really hard, and you're kind, amazing things will happen." -Conan O'Brien
"Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your
sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe the world to be a beautiful
place." -Kurt Vonnegut
"Let me think about the people I care about the most, and how they fail or disappoint me, I still love them, I still give
them chances and see the best in them. LEt me extend that generosity to myself."
"There is a voice inside of you that whispers all day long, 'I feel that is right for me, I know that is wrong.'
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend, or wise man can decide what's right for you-- just listen to the voice that speaks inside.
-Shel Silverstein.
"Success doesn't lead to happiness, happiness is the definition of success."
"Be the person your dog thinks you are."
and one more
"Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate"
This. However, nobody told me. I didn't figure it out until I was about 24 or so. Better late than never.