Hey CreativeMornings!: A compendium of good advice

Recently, we introduced Hey CreativeMornings!, our experiment for swapping knowledge and recommendations with you, our people. Every other week, we’ve been posing a question in our Weekly Highlights newsletter and here on the CreativeMornings blog and inviting you to email us with your answer.

We called on you to answer the fourth question in the series — What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? — and your responses filled us with sparkling inspiration, motivation, and mental nourishment. (If you didn’t get a chance to email us with your best advice, it’s not too late! Share your answer in the comments section.)

The words of wisdom that you offered give a glimpse into what matters in life, common struggles, and the ideas that have shifted your perspective and, in turn, your life. The wisdom that friends and advisors imparted to you — that you have in turn imparted to us (thanks, friend!) — speaks to our shared humanity. These insights cover a range of topics, including the power of generosity, love and connection, navigating careers and work, facing fears, following dreams, and lots more.

Below we have compiled the advice you shared — forty-six pearls of wisdom — into a collection organized generally by theme, though, of course, many of these pieces of advice are applicable to multiple areas of life. Read on for a jolt of inspiration that might feel at turns like a mentor doling out wise counsel and a pal giving you a pep talk.

The wisdom of generosity

“Give. Because as your hand is positioned to give, it is also open to receive. Choosing to keep your hand closed, so not to share, also means you can not receive. My grandmother, Mary Lee Young, used to say that all the time. I see this demonstrated in my life as a mentor to young people. I always receive something in the midst of giving!” — Shantell T.

Thoughts on love, friendship and connection

“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. I had a crummy childhood due to bullying and generally not fitting in. I’ve made play and friendships a priority in my adult life.” — Deb R.

“Entertain. And by entertaining, that is, meals, parties, teas in my own home. I have learned incredible things, made incredible friends and gotten further pieces of advice and love. It’s a bit tricky with this Covid thing, but I have a virtual art salon every Sunday where artists from all over the globe share their work.” — Laurie P.

“The best piece of advice I’ve even been given is that running from love is cowardice. What this advice brought to my life was the courage to express what I feel for the person on the other side, regardless of the outcome. That’s how I ended up taking chances and I think living a better life altogether, how I managed to get myself ‘out of the box’ that society, my parents, friends, or even my limited beliefs put me in and told me more or less directly how I should live or what my life ‘should’ look like. It has enabled me to take more chances on all areas of my life because if you’re willing to hear an ‘I don’t feel the same way’ when you’re putting your heart on a platter, then you can risk anything else because I don’t think you’ll ever be as vulnerable as you are in that moment.” — Calina M

“Hold on to each other.” — Gabi’s marriage advice

“Never burn bridges. You never know when you will need to cross them again!” — Beth D.

“Go where you’re celebrated.” — David S.

Work and career advice

“Don’t find a job, make a job is something I picked up at grad school.” — Dennis C.

“The best advice came from an older colleague with whom I had worked at a major corporation. Another company wanted me to go to Pittsburgh (from San Francisco) for an interview with a pretty sure offer. I decided to turn down the trip because ‘I don’t want to move to Pittsburgh.’ The advice which I have passed along many times was: Never turn down a job until it is offered! Net result: I’ve never been to Pittsburg, which I am sure is lovely!” — Marcia M.

“My college advisor — a woman who was one of the first to break the gender barrier in the journalism field in the Fargo-Moorhead area in the late 1960s — once told me: When you’re good, there’s always a job for you. That has stuck with me throughout my career and I have shared it with many.” — Julie M.

“Your goal as a manager is that all your hires will be promoted to higher levels including higher than yours, meaning hire the smartest, best people and don’t be afraid of their success.” — Laura D.

How to be prepared

“From my father, Ken: Anything worth doing is worth doing right the first time. And most things worth doing aren’t easy — so, you need a plan.” — Eric A.

“This little gem, delivered in the first week of my internship at a PR agency, really stuck: Never leave your desk without a pen. I take it literally: I feel almost naked if I get up and leave my desk without a writing implement in my hand. And more metaphorically: It’s about always being ready to capture an idea, an instruction, a piece of inspiration for later. Being ready like that is a good practice for oneself, and it demonstrates to others that you’re always thinking.” — Lauren E.

Remember: you’ve got this!

“Let someone else tell you no; don’t tell yourself no and miss out on an opportunity.” — Nathalyd T.

“Stop caring about what other people think.” — Becky M.

“You always have a choice, always, at every step you make a choice! What do you choose next?” — Marijana P.

On facing fear, worry, and other challenges

“This, too, shall pass.” — Tami B.

“Everything you’re afraid of has already happened.” — Julie G.

“Don’t worry about where you go. You always take yourself with you, and that is what makes it fun.” — Mina K

“On starting my own business and worrying about revenue: Feel your fear. It’s a normal part of the process. Just don’t make any decisions from a place of fear and you’ll be fine.” — Jennifer W.

“Anything worth doing is a little risky. [My coworker] told me this when we worked together a few years ago. You have to step outside your comfort zone and take some risks to truly grow in your work, as a person, and to drive meaningful change.” — Lindsay

The wisdom of humility

“It’s not about you.” — Emilio C.

“Nobody knows what they’re doing.” — Haley H.

“The best advice I was ever given was from my dad: there will always be someone better than you. It might sound a little harsh, but in the context in which it was given it was perfect. I was naturally good at athletics, school, you name it. Before I started high school, my dad humbled me with those words. He has always been one of my greatest cheerleaders, so this was a coaching moment. His advice pushed me to never give up when faced with a challenge and work hard to be the best that I can be for me because there will always be someone who might be a little better at something or a little smarter. That is okay. Good for them and good for me!” — Jessica D.

Exceeding expectations

“I was a young congressional staffer in Washington and was preparing an over-the-top itinerary for a group of VIPs. When I shared my plan with my boss, he told me these words: underpromise and overdeliver. I took it to heart. I downplayed the expectations for the visit and I dazzled our guests. It worked! I now underpromise and overdeliver in all aspects of my life.” — Glen L.

Time tips

“Make it your day and start early in the morning, where you have fresh ideas.” — Ben V.

“The days are long but the years are short. Make the most of them!” — Katherine M.

“My mom told me something I think about every day: life is precious because it’s finite.” — Julie S.

“From Jon Acuff: Never compare your beginnings to anyone else’s middle.” — Christina M.

On solving problems and making decisions

“Work smarter, not harder. My mom used to tell me that I don’t have to reinvent the wheel when it goes flat, I need to find the solution. Don’t make life harder for yourself than it already is.” — Beth B.

“Do it…. then work out what it is.” — Marianne K.

“The best piece of advice I received was from my former boss and mentor. He said, ‘Don’t come to me with a problem; come to me with a solution.’ I think it was in the context of a broken copier or something equally mundane. But in the decades since then I’ve applied those words to all kinds of situations, from running my own business to managing volunteers to fixing things around the house to helping my kids respond to challenges. It’s such a great way to reframe a situation, think creatively, and take ownership of an issue instead of just feeling disgruntled or sorry for yourself.” — Jeni P.

“One of my professors at uni said, ‘Anyone can learn anything, it just takes some people a disproportionate amount of time.’ I think of this phrase a lot when I try to do something new and have to make the decision of whether to hire someone to do it for me or do it myself. I know now that I can do anything. The questions that remain are do I want to do it, and how much time do I want to spend on it? It’s really helpful for running my business and for being realistic in learning and in teaching something new.” — Sophie T.

“On making hard decisions: You’re going to be wrong either way, so don’t worry about it. This parenting advice from my friend Esther, an artist with three kids, has been enormously comforting while being an imperfect parent.” — Betty Z.

Mindset reminders

“Check yourself before you wreck yourself.” — Julia M.

“For every negative thought, think of two positive ones — a friend of mine posted on Facebook. I try and follow it every day, it does help and I advise everyone to practice it.” — Carmit H.

”If you don’t want my opinion, don’t ask for it. This was from a very kind but direct vice president when I was very young and asked his opinion on a project and then went into a 10-minute diatribe defending whatever he had construction criticism about, ha! Those words have stuck some 25 years later.” — Suzanne

“Calm down.” — Rinnegan H.

“Happy counts.” — Jesse H.

On storytelling

“Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” — Patrick C.

Motivational talk

“The best advice I’ve found came from Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism: ‘… of all forms of human motivation the most effective one is progress.’” — Mike B.

“My high school senior math teacher shared this: The reward for hard work is more hard work. […] This advice has set up camp in the back of my mind for every single project, endeavor, and any form of work I’ve approached. I’ve been a graphic designer, an apparel buyer, a food cashier and runner, a store manager and more, and I’ve always had the mentality that more work is always around the corner, whether I was ready or not! And in the essence of doing ‘hard’ work compared to just plain work, I’ve learned that whatever you’re working on, it’s only as good as you make it: how much energy and time you put into it. Sometimes work is never truly done. That advice set up expectations in a realistic and positive way for me, and that always keeps me motivated and engaged to work hard.” — Kay G.

“Just do it.” — Merry C.

Follow your dreams

“When I was scared about choosing a pure humanities degree: Do what you’re passionate about and you’ll be good at it and get a job somehow. I know it doesn’t work out for everyone, but it was way easier than expected for me.” — Maike K.

“No matter how much they talk about you, they will not be able to finish you. So go on, pursue your dream.” — Mariott R.

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In the meantime, let’s keep the conversation going in the comments section below. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

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