Twelve Pieces Of Advice

May these bits of advice be inserted into your coconut shell and make it a bit more pleasant (but not easier) in getting through life:

1.) Never entirely put your life in the hands of other people, whether they are someone you know or not; only two people shape your life: the Lord and you yourself. The people you trust, who are commonly your family, friends, loved ones, role models, and/or inspirations, only help you in shaping this life.

2.) Learn to depend on yourself. The people whom you depend will never be there for you all the time. These people may eventually think of you as a nuisance if you always ask from them or they may become a nuisance to your development if you let them interfere too much.

3.) Excellence is what you must strive for in your own field. Eliminate mediocrity from your vocabulary. If you’re not good at something in the first place, just keep on practicing until you reach the level that you may deem as the best. If you really can’t do it at all, then don’t or else you’ll end up hurting yourself. Perfection is never attainable, unless you’re God. Yet, being the best is only an effort away.

4.) Only ask for help if the task is no longer of your capability. You are only human and you have imperfections. A helping hand from others won’t hurt you but if let them do the task without even a teensy-weensy contribution from yourself, that’s no longer self-distress. It’s laziness already that’s doing the work for you.

5.) Be a workaholic to avoid laziness and make sure that your activities are productive ones. Prioritize what is most important. Do something! Remember that idleness is the devil’s workplace. If you don’t have anything good to do and just do nothing, prepare to face the consequences. As a quote goes, “evil prevails when good men do nothing”.

6.) Learn to maintain originality. Sure, there’s nothing wrong if you let others help along but if you let other people’s ideas prevail over yours, then your work is no longer your work but that’s already the work of other people. Now, does that work for you?

7.) Don’t let the bahala na/que sera sera/whatever will be will be attitude get you. If the situation is already bad, you can’t just let it get worse, can you? Do something to correct or make the situation better. “Evil prevails when good men do nothing”, as this quote has been already said. Omission is a sin, after all.

8.) Choose the best and right decision and make sure that the choice you make will bring about good. It’s much better to choose a good decision but lose your friends than to choose the bad ones but maintain your friends. (Are they even your friends?)

9.) Face your problems and don’t get away from them. If the solution is not at hand, wait for it! If you don’t face these problems you might even lose an opportunity in life that you can’t bring back ever.

10.) Speaking of opportunity, be wary of the opportunities around you. Once it passes by, take hold and make good use of it. Never let it go. Some opportunities are only once-in-a-lifetime. If you let those chances get away, you’ll regret it.

11.) Don’t be too self-centered and ultra-orthodox. Be open-minded, be progressive, be radical, even revolutionary if you want to, but know the limits of your freedom. Being too much “liberated” can be chaotic and may ruin you and the whole system. You can truly express your freedom if you still know how to stick to the rules. Besides, being a bit conservative won’t hurt and may even be life-saving.

12.) Do something for the benefit of the common good. Even if it takes self-sacrifice and has no “reward”, just do it for everyone’s benefit. There may come a time that you’ll receive the best reward of all. Just do it and your efforts will pay off, though not always on the spot.