People Break Down Advice That Seemed Crazy At First But Was Actually Life-Changing

Unsolicited advice can be very annoying, but that doesn’t mean there aren't any nuggets of wisdom there.

Sometimes the most bizarre suggestions end up being a good idea.

Reddit user SnakeDoc01 asked:

"What’s a piece of advice that you’ve heard, which sounded crazy at first, but turned out to be life changing?"

Yes, Or...

"In my case, it was "say yes more often"; I was on top of my responsibilities and life and got there by saying no to things outside my rhythm. I had to learn (from a friend who constantly ended up in crazy interesting situations) that when a bizarre, or silly, or unusual invitation or opportunity presented itself, I needed focus less on avoiding disruption, stop giving things a miss to avoid the inconvenience and start saying yes because that's how a disproportionate amount of crazy adventures, good memories, and fun anecdotes happen."

~ D-Alembert

The power of yes can get you engaged with life. Especially if you are fighting inertia or depression being open to trying new things can take you places and enrich your life.

~ Accomplished-Cat3996

...No

"Say no more often'. At first, it felt selfish, but learning to set boundaries has made life way less stressful and helped me focus on what actually matters.

~ gorgeoustrixie

"The power of no can help if you are overwhelmed. If you are stressed because you have plenty of interesting things in your life but no time to appreciate them or are even doing them badly because you are giving some of them short shrift.

~ Accomplished-Cat3996

Training

"'If they are willing to hire you, then they're willing to train you'."

I had a bad habit of taking jobs that were low pay, low skill, and thought that that was all I was capable of because I never completed college nor did I get much real world/work skills. I started applying for jobs that wanted experience or education, a lot didn't respond, but I ended up getting a job that I wouldn't have ever thought I would get.

~ Mix_Master_Floppy

Allow

"Let them...'."

"Let them talk sh*t. Let them be angry. Let them think whatever they want about you. Live your own life.

~ Odd-Communication-45

"In addition to your examples, it's also about not trying to save them. Let them make their own decisions."

".Let them suffer the consequences without trying to save them."

"Let them do the thing without inputting your suggestions, which may or may not be better."

"Breathe. Don't worry about them. Let them do their thing without needing to jump in or even care, and get rid of this idea that you have to always have your say or try to save them or try to help. It's liberating."

~ No-Plenty-4152

Pinhead

"My grandmother was taking me bowling one summer because she was a part of this bowling group. This group was filled with older people, so they knew what they were doing. When I first started, the best score I could get was 70. Then, this man came up to me and was offering help. He was old, balding, wearing a white shirt and jeans, but seemed nice, so I took him up on his offer. He asked me, 'When you're throwing the ball, what are you aiming at?' I told that I was aiming at the head pin. He replied, 'Do you see that arrow in the middle of the lane? Aim for that. And when you throw the ball, hold your thumb out so it covers the arrow and keep your arm up'. This seemed stupid to hold your thumb out, but I did it anyways. Turns out, it was a follow through, and I got a strike. I will never forget this lesson."

~ Flamingmouth007

Bullesye

" This is something I read somewhere. A girl was practicing archery and kept messing up and the instructor told her: 'You’re failing because you’re too focused on the target and not your own actions.'”

"She proceeded to say that it was the best life advice she had ever gotten."

~ leminoah

"So basically, focus on the journey, not the destination."

~ SuperSpecialAwesome-

Small

"'Never make a big decision when a small decision will do'."

"Sometimes we feel stuck in life because we want to change but don't know how. Everything humans do in life undergoes a subconscious - or sometimes conscious - cost-benefit-analyis to figure out if it's worth putting our energy into it (even something like getting up to get a snack from the kitchen). Sometimes we feel paralyzed because the cost-benefit-analyis seems unclear because we can't anticipate the outcome of our decision. Should I break up with him? Should I quit my job? What if I make a mistake? Will this change my life for the worse?

The thing is, you don't have to make that decision immediately. Start with a small decision and experiment. If you're not sure whether you should leave a relationship try to get some space. Stay with a friend for a while and make up your mind.

Try to experiment as much as you can to collect the data needed to make your decision.

~ lil0r

Unique Journey`

"I was once stuck in a traffic jam at the start of a long road trip with a friend. I kept doing the math in my head and it came up that I'd be late for an event even if I sped most of the way. My friend said "You are exactly where you are supposed to be."

"Hearing that stayed with me. It has helped me with acceptance and not trying to control things as much. And no, maybe it isn't exactly true. I probably wouldn't say that to, say, someone with terminal cancer. But I would try to accept that we all have our own unique journey's and that there is much in life we do not control."

~ Accomplished-Cat3996

Chasing Someone Who Doesn't Want To Be Caught

"'If you have to chase a man (partner) you're never going to catch him!' - My Auntie"

"Such good advice. Took me a while to take it. If someone wants to be with you they will make time for you and want to meet your efforts with their own."

"You should be as important to them as they are to you. Wasted a good part of my late teens and early 20's wanting a dude that did not want me back (but he sure loved the attention)."

"One of the ways I knew my husband was the one is when I texted him, he texted me back, when I wanted to meet up, so did he. He was putting as much effort into the relationship as I was and thought I was as much of a catch as I thought he was."

"He is such a sweet soul and I am incredibly lucky."

"11 years and we both think we got the better deal!"

~ bee73086

Positive Focus

"'Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses'."

"In every work performance review you’ve ever had, they spend 2% of the time on what you did well and 98% on your 'areas for improvement'."

"Your weaknesses will always be your weaknesses. You could spend gargantuan amounts of energy and improve slightly."

"Or, you could focus on your strengths and excel over others in those areas."

~ DadLoCo

"One of the things I like about the company I work for is that they'll help you find the right role for you. If you're not doing well in the role you're in, they assess your training first, then they might shift gears and place you elsewhere and see how you do there."

"I've seen a coworker moved 3 times, but then they found her strengths and she's doing great in that role. And if you're good at your job and they notice you're struggling, they always check how you're doing."

"I have never worked for a company like this. And it's fully remote. I keep waiting for the something bad to happen, but I've been there 2 years now."

~ Backbackbackagainugh

Thanks, Benjamin

"If you want people to like you don’t offer to do them favors, ask them for favors. It seems crazy but it works, it’s called the Franklin effect, named for Benjamin Franklin who pointed it out."

~ Goddamnpassword

"I actually just commented something about the Franklin effect in response to another comment just a little up the page."

"Well, I commented on a slight variation actually."

"Basically if you chase someone, that tells your brain that they are worth chasing and actually makes you like them more."

"Same principle as how doing a favor for someone tells your brain you must like them, since you did the favor."

"It's basically about cognitive dissonance—doing a favor for someone you don't like, or chasing them, creates an uncomfortable dissonance, and your brain resolves that by liking the person more."

~ MelodiesUnheard

Focus On Today

"Think more short-term. Focus on today and don't think past it."

"I've found I have much more peace and all my ambitions feel much less daunting when I only put my attention on literally the next thing I have to do."

~ JCSP16

🎵 Climb Every Mountain 🎶

"I had a professor who talked about finishing our degree as climbing a mountain. He always reminded us 'there are more mountains to climb—it doesn’t stop once you’ve reached the summit'."

"It helped in remembering that there are highs and lows to every worthwhile journey, and life didn’t just stop once we completed our studies."

"It’s just new mountains—might as well enjoy the view on the journey."

~ starryeyedoptimist

Right Or Wrong

"'Being right doesn’t matter'."

"It’s an old adage when it comes to marriage, but I had to learn it the hard way anyway. It’s also true in life more generally."

"When it comes to conflict, being right is usually far, far less important than how you make the other person feel and what solutions you generate coming out of it."

"It’s just another part of accepting life isn’t always fair, and being able to be happier and focus on what’s important once you accept that."

~ WhatIsThisWhereAmI

So Apropos...

"You can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themself into."

~ WeimaranerWednesdays

What's advice that seemed illogical, but made perfect sense once you tried it?