If you had to give one piece of advice that is pretty much universally applicable, what would it be?

I wouldn't dare defile Douglas Adam's memory by not mentioning that you should keep a towel with you at all times, but my second contender is a surprisingly short three-parter:

  1. never lie.
  2. never tell the whole truth.
  3. never pass up a chance to use a real bathroom.
joshfee ,

Identify the true problem before trying to find a solution

Jarix ,

Lol hilarious joke.

yeah that doesn't work unless you don't have bosses or multiple levels of bosses who only care about making Numbers on their already sheet look like what they want them to look like

Potatos_are_not_friends ,

It still checks out.

Sometimes the true problem isn't the "fire" in front of you, it's the manager/boss.

And then you discover what you should be solving for.

Jarix ,

You didn't get it. It's okay

AtariDump ,

The XY problem is asking about your attempted solution rather than your actual problem. This leads to enormous amounts of wasted time and energy, both on the part of people asking for help, and on the part of those providing help.

InternetPerson ,

What if you can't find the true problem?

Joshi ,
@Joshi@aussie.zone avatar

If you don't have time to do something right what makes you think you have time to do it twice?

Respect other people's time. When dealing with a busy person in a professional context;

  • Emails should be as short as possible while still conveying the needed information, don't make a busy person excavate the relevant info from somewhere near the middle of the fifth paragraph.
  • Whenever possible phrase a question in a way that can be answered in one word.
sockenklaus ,
@sockenklaus@sh.itjust.works avatar

Whenever possible phrase a question in a way that can be answered in one word.

That's a good one! I would also add: When asked a question, determine whether this question can be properly answered in one word. If possible do it!

This is particularly directed at my wife 💋

Joshi ,
@Joshi@aussie.zone avatar

Excellent, I'm going to add to this, even if the the answer justifies/requires an explanation put the answer first
ie "Yes, long explanation" is vastly superior to "Long explanation, so yes"

InternetPerson ,

When dealing with a busy person in a professional context;

  • Emails should be as short as possible while still conveying the needed information, don't make a busy person excavate the relevant info from somewhere near the middle of the fifth paragraph.
  • Whenever possible phrase a question in a way that can be answered in one word.

Not a fan of this. Feels like a result of over-optimization in a capitalistic, profti-driven society.

We are humans. Not machines. So treat each other like that. If you like to write a couple of more words to express yourself or some issue in a way that feels representing, go for it. Doesn't mean to escalate this into a novel, but it's fine to take a pause and talk more.

Joshi ,
@Joshi@aussie.zone avatar

I think we mostly agree.

For context I'm a doctor who is constantly pushing back against profit driven motives.

Being time constrained is an effect of capitalism but that doesn't mean that there isn't real work to be done.

People can and should take time out to express their personalities, hopes and frustrations and bond and be together in the workplace. That said, personal communication in the workplace and professional communication are different beasts.

Not thinking about what you're trying to say or what information you need leads to rambling tirades in person and paragraphs that could've been sentences in emails, this is not being a machine, it is wasting my time and the time of my patients(whose rambling tirades it is my pleasure to listen to😉)

Jyek ,

If everywhere you go smells like shit, check your shoes.

Jimmycrackcrack ,

So is this intended as kind of a metaphor or is this mainly aimed at people who have literally stepped in real shit?

meekah ,
@meekah@lemmy.world avatar

Pretty sure its a metaphor for being an asshole

Azzu ,
@Azzu@lemm.ee avatar

It's a metaphor for people who smell whipped cream all the time, they should check on top of their head.

OhNoMoreLemmy ,

Both. It's like the saying "Governing a big country is like cooking small fish." (With the explanation that if you keep poking it, it'll disintegrate) also taught me how to cook fish as well as realpolitik.

The fish advice was most useful.

Jyek ,

This is a metaphor for life in general. If you find that all your interactions are negative, check yourself. Are you the problem in your relationships and interactions? How can you fix that? Clean your shoes.

intensely_human ,

It’s both

AtariDump ,

If everyone around you is an asshole, you’re the asshole.

AlphaOmega ,

Every failure is a success, if you learn from your mistakes

0_0j ,
@0_0j@lemmy.world avatar

underrated, appreciate you bruv

Potatos_are_not_friends ,

I failed the saving throw and now I'm dead. Thanks a lot jerk

InternetPerson ,

It's the basic driver of all somewhat intelligent life on earth.

Do something - fail - explore alternatives - do it again - success? Keep it. Fail? Back to exploring and retrying.

Whether it's babies learning to walk or you overcoming difficult situations in life. We should embrace errors and failures of others, as it's an opportunity for them and us to learn and prevent similar mistakes in the future.

ShittyBeatlesFCPres ,

Be athletic, assertive, and able to master at least one form of swordsmanship. Only then can you take down the one who killed your father.

My life might be different than yours. But several kung fu movies are about that so I’m not sure if it’s universal or just me.

Potatos_are_not_friends ,

My long winded talk about the various types of sword fighting is what got me my current job.

So now that's two people on the Internet that believe this!

spittingimage ,
@spittingimage@lemmy.world avatar

Never borrow money from a man whose first name is "The" and never gamble with a man whose first name is a city.

Potatos_are_not_friends ,

But I need $600k to pay Jersey City Steve and "The Raven" has a history of being fair with his loans.

Chev ,

If unsure, asl yourself this: What is this an opportunity for?

intensely_human ,

I did that, and realized it was an opportunity to clean my mirror!

witty_username ,

Brush your teeth and floss

Trebuchet ,

And your belly button. Often forgotten, but an unwashed innie stinks!

0_0j ,
@0_0j@lemmy.world avatar

Ooof, got my tongue in one 😖

intensely_human ,

Thank you for this reminder. I always had a nice open easy to clean one, but recently had a hernia surgery where my bellybutton got rearranged. Now it’s a tight little crevasse, and I’ll need to start paying special attention to cleaning it out.

Potatos_are_not_friends ,

I did the grave mistake of shoving my nose in one without proper cleaning.

I had to pretend I was choking on my own spit not to offend the girl.

AlbertSpangler ,

Don't mistake jealousy for respect

Pay attention to what you're doing

intensely_human ,

Do you mean envy here, or actual jealousy?

AlbertSpangler ,

Envy, I suppose. Couldn't tell you the exact difference off the top of my head...

doleo ,

give up

BugleFingers ,

Evaluate how much something matters based on 1 day, 1 month, 1 year.

I.E. How upset should you be over [Thing]? Will it matter in one day? One month? One year? That helps perspective a bunch. You can use any variation of time really, the point is perspective

Lifecoach5000 ,

Came here to say this. Always a good piece of solid advice IMO

dotslashme ,

Nothing lasts. It goes for good days, but also bad days.

mitrosus ,

Some things last over my lifetime, and that's "lasts" enough.

nailingjello ,

Could you expand on your second rule? What do you mean by "never tell the whole truth"?

dingus ,

I'm also confused on the advice of using a "real" bathroom

Shelbyeileen ,
@Shelbyeileen@lemmy.world avatar

I was part of this crazy thing called A Simple Walk into Mordor, where a group of guys from Rooster Teeth walked from the real Shire to the real Mount Doom (and Erebor in the sequel) in New Zealand. Finding an actual bathroom to use was a luxury. A sink is much nicer than hand sanitizer, digging a hole when you have to poop is not fun, getting an upset tummy is nerve-racking. When you've gotta go, you're gonna have to use what's available, not what's nice. Don't take what's nice for granted.

brygphilomena ,

Leave it better than you found it.

Goes for your home, your neighborhood, or something you've borrowed. It can be applied to the planet, the beach, the trail, the car, the job.

Hell, it even goes for people. Leave them a little happier, a little wiser, a little more prosperous than before.

Second rule, give people the benefit of the doubt and don't attribute an action as the person. Did they cut you off on the road? They're having a bad day and made a mistake. They're speeding? Maybe they are on the way to see a loved one without much longer to live. Don't call someone an asshole just because they made an asshole move. People are so much more than that one interaction with them.

Potatos_are_not_friends ,

Funny enough, these have analogs in programming!

Leave it better than you found it.

The Boyscouts rule! Clean up bad code if you can!

Second rule, give people the benefit of the doubt and don't attribute an action as the person.

Sometimes you gotta write janky code to meet a deadline. That is not a personal failure. And give folks a break who do it too.

InternetPerson ,

Hell, it even goes for people. Leave them a little happier, a little wiser, a little more prosperous than before.

I like that. Thank you. I'll try.

TheLobotomist ,
@TheLobotomist@lemmy.dbzer0.com avatar

Mind your business

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