# Wise things people have told you **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537 "2013-08-29T22:32:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/121 "2013-09-12T15:54:50Z")
Not caring about stuff is a powerful way to focus on what matters to you, but a weak weapon to loudly proclaim your superiority over others. ---
**Author:** ![Bakhtiyark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@Bakhtiyark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhtiyark)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/122 "2013-09-12T16:15:18Z")
“Неважно насколько благороден рыцарь, куча крестьян с граблями и вилами всегда одолеют его.” Loose translation would be No matter how mighty the knight is, bunch of unwashed villagers with rakes and pitchforks will always overpower him. ---
**Author:** ![mo50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@mo50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mo50)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/123 "2013-09-12T16:24:31Z")
Hard before beer, you’re in the clear. Beer before hard, you’re in the yard-Source not remembered. You can’t run away from your problems, but you can have a helluva lotta fun trying!-Unknown Have a good time ALL the time-Spinal Tap ---
**Author:** ![Gretel\_burps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Gretel\_burps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gretel_burps)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/124 "2013-09-12T16:26:35Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > When we fall in love we are actually falling in love with the way we feel about ourselves when we are with that other person. ( heard this on a radio talk show and have applied it to all kinds of relationships in all areas of my life) I particularly like this one! My contribution is: ‘Don’t sweat the small stuff.’ Very obvious but it comes in handy for someone slightly paranoid like me. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/125 "2013-09-12T16:54:53Z")
My mother dropped me off at Purdue for the very first time. Her last words as she left me behind: “Come home from college pregnant, and I’ll kill you.” I’m a dude. ---
**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 12, 2013, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/126 "2013-09-12T20:22:47Z")
Do not worry about getting through the rest of your life. Worry about getting through the rest of the day. Everything in your life is useful if you can file it away and use it when you need it. And, a gem I picked up on the SDMB: Never fuck crazy. That means never have intimate relationships with mentally unsound people. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/127 "2013-09-12T20:31:11Z")
Many years ago, when I was in absolute agony and devastation over a break up, especially since it was such a good match (the break up was not a “you’re horrible, I hate you and am going to do bad things to you” one, it was a “I am still not sure what I want, I love you but…” kind), a friend said something which helped a lot. “just because a great love ends, doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great love”. It both hurt and helped. Hurt, in that it reminded me how much I loved, and did NOT want to lose this man, and helped in that both he and I recognized that it was a great love, (we’re still good friends). It made it not seem like such a waste, such a mystery of “but why?”. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/128 "2013-09-12T20:54:09Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I get it! > > The other row boats represent other people moving down the river of life along with you. Assume they are “empty”, there are no other people who actions are directly trying to influence yours (get in your way, cut you off etc). > > Nice! > > (Couldn’t quote **AnthonyElite** - function is turned off right now) I’m glad he explained it, I was thinking “well! If I’m not in a race, I can go as slowly as I want to”. (wait, is that the same thing?) I’m not sure if that one would work for me, left to my own devices, I’m WAY too lazy. I need the other rowboats to be full of ambitious boaters. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/129 "2013-09-13T07:07:44Z")
> [@mo50](#): > > Hard before beer, you’re in the clear. Beer before hard, you’re in the yard-Source not remembered. Wine then beer, feel queer. Beer then wine, feel fine. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/130 "2013-09-13T07:42:48Z")
My father, when he knew he was dying, to me, age 9: “It might not be easy, and it might not be fun, but it will be all right.” Those words have helped me muddle through a lot of crappy situations since then. Daddy’s father, in the throes of dementia a couple of years later: “If you gotta take a leak outside, stay away from the electric fence.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Whitney\_Harper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@Whitney\_Harper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whitney_Harper)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/131 "2013-09-13T11:26:27Z")
“Take a day at a time” is great advice, as just try to focus on the day at hand. In addition, another thing that has helped me when one asks “What is a normal life”? There is no “normal” life". It may be normal for one person to get up at 4:00 AM every morning for work, while normal for another person to arise at 9:00 AM. Everyone is different. Life is not a “one size fits all” for everyone. That is another thing that I have learned. ---
**Author:** ![AnthonyElite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AnthonyElite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnthonyElite)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/132 "2013-09-13T13:22:45Z")
> [@Whitney\_Harper](#): > > “Take a day at a time” is great advice, as just try to focus on the day at hand. In addition, another thing that has helped me when one asks “What is a normal life”? There is no “normal” life". It may be normal for one person to get up at 4:00 AM every morning for work, while normal for another person to arise at 9:00 AM. Everyone is different. Life is not a “one size fits all” for everyone. That is another thing that I have learned. This is some great advice. Right here. There is no normal life. My friend Brian was upset the other day because he ran into a few old friends who had graduated and were moderately successful. He likes where he is now, but I could tell he couldn’t help but compare his situation. I said: Brian, you see their nice cars, and suits, and they DO look nice…but you didn’t see the late nights and long hours it took them to get there. Everyone has their own path. My piece of advice: **Constantly question everything you want.** If you think you want something, do a lot of soul-searching and make sure it is what will make you happy. If it won’t - don’t! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/133 "2013-09-13T16:38:18Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > From Mr. Ko: > > There’s no bigger waste of time than arguing with strangers on the internet. 🙂 In a related vein, ‘‘Quit trolling yourself,’’ from my husband. ‘‘You don’t get what you want. You get what you work for.’’ - Coach ‘‘Never believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see.’’ -stepfather The best advice I ever got came from the back of a PostSecret post card: ‘‘Making the wrong decision is better than making no decision at all.’’ Forced me to stop hemming and hawing about grad school and just make a choice. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/134 "2013-09-13T16:49:59Z")
Wax on. Wax off. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/135 "2013-09-13T17:11:44Z")
From my dear old Dad. It’s better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/136 "2013-09-13T17:28:10Z")
My first boss told “It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission”. This in the sense that it pays to have some initiative and not to just do what ever please you. And he also said “Never mud wrestle with a pig because the pig enjoys it”. This in the sense that it wouldn’t pay for me to argue with him. ---
**Author:** ![EvilMinion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@EvilMinion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilMinion)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/137 "2013-09-15T04:48:56Z")
My sister’s first boss told her to never trust a Kevin. Looking back, all of the Kevins I’ve known have been dodgy to varying degrees. (With apologies to any Dopers named Kevin). ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/138 "2013-09-15T12:53:36Z")
> [@AnthonyElite](#): > > This is some great advice. Right here. There is no normal life. > > My friend Brian was upset the other day because he ran into a few old friends who had graduated and were moderately successful. He likes where he is now, but I could tell he couldn’t help but compare his situation. > > I said: Brian, you see their nice cars, and suits, and they DO look nice…but you didn’t see the late nights and long hours it took them to get there. Everyone has their own path. I’m like your friend sometimes. I have a tendency to do a mental “census” when I’m in a group of people to see how I compare to the average. I’ll always focus on those measures where I don’t “measure up” and forget about the ones that I do. The way I make myself feel better (besides telling myself to stop being so self-absorbed) is that there is a cost to everything. No, I’m not married with children and a big house on the lake and I’m sure this is a shameful to some judgmental somebody, but a lot of stress and headache is waiting for someone who strives to be “normal” in this way. I may look like the weirdo for not having any of those things, but at least I’m a weirdo with low blood pressure, a youthful appearance and unlimited time and energy. And those aren’t small potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_York](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_York](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_York)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/139 "2013-09-15T13:32:31Z")
I got this advice from my old man when I left home, “love is blind,marriage is the eye opener”. Should have took it, and saved a lot of money. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537/140 "2013-09-15T14:41:34Z")
[quote=“ASGuy, post:106, topic:667537”] > [@Hello\_Again](#): > > I had this totally psycho boss in my first job out of college. But he was known to say one sensible thing, and it was this: > > _We need this in a hurry, so don’t rush._ That is fantastic. I believe the Pennsylvania Dutch equivalent is “The hurrier you go, the behinder you get.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wise-things-people-have-told-you/667537.md?page=8)