Here’s what an elderly man told me yesterday
Did you know that unexpected advice is never unexpected? Sometimes, what you’ve been thinking about echoes through other people’s voices. Confirming what your heart has been telling you all along. I met an elderly man who was busy with repairs at my workplace. It so happened that I was sitting next to them and we got to chatting. The elderly man was busy working with his coworker, and they were talking about following the specifications to complete the job. I smiled as he was berating his coworker because old guys always behave like teenagers.
When he noticed me, he threw me into his conversation. He said, listen. Sometimes, listening to other people helps. All of a sudden, he said, “I wish my son had listened to me.” I replied and asked him why? He said my son died in a car crash… one week before his accident, I was advising him to always wear a seat belt. Unfortunately the accident wasn’t his fault but he died because he didn’t wear a seat belt.
His story moved me because his words echoed what I was thinking about. Why listening is very important and why I need to heed people’s advice. And why I shouldn’t shrug it off. I don’t know why that old man told me his story, but thankfully, it confirmed my thinking. It helped champion my resilience to keep on listening to people’s advice no matter how much knowledge I’ve accumulated. That’s why they say always keep your ears open and your mouth closed and you will succeed.
Why is it important to listen to advice and accept discipline?
You don’t know everything, and when you acknowledge this with an open heart, your mind develops. I used to be confrontational because I hated people challenging me. I didn’t like to be given advice because I hated thinking that I was stupid. Today, I shake my head and wonder how great I would be today if I had listened to people who were just trying to help me. I wish that old man’s son had listened and worn the seat belt. I could see the old man’s pain because he tried to warn the son, but in the end, it was up to the other person to listen.
Accept discipline and heed good advice. Don’t do it and listen when someone is warning you. Or do it because it will help your life. For example, my mom tried to advise me to stop drinking. Did I listen? Of course not, but how I wish I had listened back then because when I connected the dots today. I know that I made a lot of bad decisions when I could’ve avoided a lot of stress in my life.
Conclusion
The secret to a happy life is to listen to advice. No matter your age, please don’t stop learning. If a person gives you advice, take it. Don’t shrug it off and listen to them and why they’re telling you. Remember that you can not implement all the advice you’re given, but it’s foundational, and it opens your eyes to a lot of things. Be a willing learner, and you will succeed in life.
- The secret to a happy life is to listen to advice
