# The pithiest advice you ever got... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 30, 2017, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067 "2017-08-30T00:11:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/101 "2017-09-01T22:14:28Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > The advice wasn’t “eat everything you can pronounce.” That would be pithy yet really stupid. If you want to get pedantic about a joke, I didn’t recommend eating dog poop. I was commenting on what passed the filter of that pithy aphorism, and what didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/102 "2017-09-01T22:24:48Z")
Don’t eat the fire truck. Don’t play that creep’s game - (this is a paraphrase of a line from _Dirty Harry_) Don’t fuck with the (name of dangerous animal here)! That’s his/her problem. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/103 "2017-09-01T22:30:44Z")
It’s pointless and time consuming to throw a rock at every dog that barks at you. Nobody gets out alive. ---
**Author:** ![PetroDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@PetroDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetroDude)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/104 "2017-09-01T23:08:33Z")
Apropos of the last week in Houston (even though it really has nothing to do with flooding), an early mentor of mine trying to explain how I needed to let some things go and only worry about the important stuff. “Be like a little duck. If it rains you swim. If it don’t you walk.” ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/105 "2017-09-01T23:47:00Z")
From my Dad, on the subject of surviving West Point and/or war: Never miss a chance to take a piss, take a nap, or keep your mouth shut. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/106 "2017-09-01T23:48:07Z")
From an old boss: The secret to life is knowing what to do next; the secret to happiness is doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/107 "2017-09-02T00:16:20Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Indeed. Cyanide is pronounceable. Deadly Nightshade is pronounceable, organic, AND non-GMO! ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/108 "2017-09-02T00:53:06Z")
> [@Canadjun](#): > > Deadly Nightshade is pronounceable, organic, AND non-GMO! And if you eat it, you are shit-out-of-luck, unless you can pronounce physostigmine. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/109 "2017-09-02T10:22:18Z")
Never shit higher than your arsehole (with regard to finances). If it’s going to be, it’s up to me. ---
**Author:** ![Jungian\_Camisole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@Jungian\_Camisole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jungian_Camisole)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/110 "2017-09-03T02:36:26Z")
“You can’t care about other peoples’ problems more than they care about their own.” - somewhere on the internet. My own is: better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. That is why we’re insured to the hilt on everything and take way too much money on vacations. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/111 "2017-09-03T07:34:19Z")
“Other people can see how you’re acting.” - My Mom. She may have been worried about potential embarrassment, but it’s also something to remember when you’re on your own. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/112 "2017-09-03T23:47:05Z")
Pithy advice to her doctor, from my 98 year old mother: “I’m not sick – I’m old.” ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2017, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/113 "2017-09-04T11:12:15Z")
“ **It ain’t your emergency**.” Advice given to me by an older EMT when I first starting driving ambulances. He was telling me to limit my own risk when attempting rescue. I’ve expanded that in a way, to remind myself that in life: -There are a lot of problems that not only can’t fixed by me, they can’t be fixed by anyone. -If I “hurt” myself (bankruptcy, exhaustion, etc.) trying to help, I’ve done more harm than good. -My first duty is to my family & myself, and there is no guilt in walking away. and the final maxim… -I have no obligation to treat self-inflicted wounds. ---
**Author:** ![Rosvirein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rosvirein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rosvirein)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/114 "2017-09-05T02:39:58Z")
Don’t pith on the electric fenth. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/115 "2017-09-05T13:35:17Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > From my aunt when I fretted about making a major life decision and how I’d be so old when it came to fruition: > > “How old will you be if you don’t do it?” Satchel Paige said “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were?” I’m 25 and sticking to it. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/116 "2017-09-05T18:08:56Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > “Other people can see how you’re acting.” - My Mom. Reminds me of one I got from a restaurant placemat, of all places: “Character is how you act when nobody’s looking.” ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/117 "2017-09-05T18:38:05Z")
I got this one from a roll of paper towels “Only make promises you can keep. Keep the promises you make.” ---
**Author:** ![greenmario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/97f17d/32.png) [@greenmario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenmario)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/118 "2017-09-05T20:19:59Z")
Measure twice cut once. It qualifies as one of the best yet least followed pieces of advice my dad would give me ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/119 "2017-09-05T20:21:31Z")
“Don’t let you mouth write checks that your ass can’t cash” “Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part” Perhaps the best: “No good deed goes unpunished” P.S. In respect to un-necessary advice or help: “Hey, I’m fuckin’ this monkey, you’re just holdin’ the tail” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067/120 "2017-09-05T21:37:36Z")
If you don’t get told “no” every once in a while, you aren’t asking for enough. In the workforce: Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pithiest-advice-you-ever-got/795067.md?page=7)