“Don’t listen to anyone.” – Music legend Rick Rubin’s advice to young people
“Don’t listen to anyone.” – UFC President Dana White’s advice to young people
Rick Rubin and Dana White are about as opposite as two human beings can be.
Yet, when asked what advice they would give to young people, they gave the exact same answer:
“Don’t listen to anyone.”
Meaning, don’t listen to anyone who tells you what to do with your life.
Only you can make that choice, and it’s about the most important choice you’ll ever make.
And I’ll add this:
The more unique your path is, the fewer people you can take advice from, and the more you’ll need to question and filter the advice of almost everyone else.
If you like the look of the social conveyor belt, from school to bigger school to job to marriage to kids to retirement to cemetery, then the advice of nearly anyone will do.
(that wasn’t meant to be as judgemental as it sounded — the social conveyor belt is as valid a path as any, if it’s true to you)
And if you crave the path of status, wealth, and stuntin’ on mf*ckas (which is basically just a shinier version of the conveyor belt path, since you’re still following the herd rather than finding yourself), there are plenty of Tate’s and Cardone’s that can show you the way.
(okay, that one was definitely judgemental)
But if you feel the wild pull of the great off-road, to finding the path that is uniquely yours, then nobody can tell you what it is.
If they could, it wouldn’t be uniquely yours.
In which case, the job of advice-givers like me is not to give advice, but to sharpen your navigational tools and guide you to the place inside yourself that already has the answers.
Then again, perhaps you shouldn’t listen to me either.
When in doubt, listen to yourself.
Or, at least:
Don’t listen to anyone else.
– T
P.S. The trick, of course, is to listen to yourself about who to listen to.
If you resonate with what I’m saying, I’m probably a good fit for you — but that doesn’t mean I’m right about everything, or that you shouldn’t filter my advice to suit yourself.
And if you don’t resonate with me, listen to that — and look elsewhere.
Just don’t listen to me (or anyone else) because other people do, or because you think you “need to.”
Make sense?
If you’re still listening, here’s…
How To Stop Being Taken Advantage Of