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“Take My Advice, I’m Not Using It”

I often appreciate the value of advice and wisdom from others. The articles on BizCatalyst 360°, for instance, are a treasure trove of wonderful wisdom and perspectives. However, I have also learned that simply receiving advice is not enough. Sure, it’s good to reinforce positive messages and affirmations in our lives – feed your mind healthy thoughts rather than garbage – but, we must also put it into practice in order to truly benefit from it.

It’s like when I study Japanese in a textbook (I live in Japan for those who aren’t aware). I might understand a grammatical point being demonstrated, and perhaps I memorize a few new vocabulary words, but until I go out and actually USE the stuff I’ve studied, I haven’t really “learned” anything at all.

Too often we seek guidance from others, only to ignore or dismiss it when it doesn’t align with our preconceived notions or desires. We might nod along in agreement or thank the person for their insight, but when it comes time to actually apply the advice in our lives, we resist or forget. We can read countless self-help books, BizCatalyst 360° articles, or even attend numerous therapy sessions if need be, but if we don’t actively apply what we’ve learned, it’s all for naught.

In Zen, there is a proverb:

If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do not understand, things are just as they are.

Put differently, things and situations exist as they are regardless of our thoughts about them. To understand is not enough to make real positive changes in the world, you have to put those thoughts into action.

It is also important to remember, of course, that not all advice is created equal. We must use discernment and judgment in deciding which advice to take to heart and which to discard. Just because someone offers a suggestion or interesting perspective doesn’t mean it’s right for us, and we must be willing to trust our own instincts and intuition when making decisions.

My point and encouragement here are this: Take a moment to reflect on the advice you receive, even from me here or in my LinkedIn posts, and consider how you might genuinely apply it. If we all did this – if we all strove to really put our positive thoughts and articles and wisdom into actual, real-world action – and we all collectively continued to gain and improve ourselves and the world, through our real-life actions… well, wow, what a world this could be!

Now, it’s time for me to “put up or shut up” and go read someone else’s article and actually, truly put it into use.

Mark Reid
Mark Reidhttps://www.zensammich.com/
Mark Reid is the host of the Zen Sammich podcast. Previously, he was an English professor at Kanagawa University, Tokyo University of Science, and Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. He was also an attorney for 10 years, first as an Assistant District Attorney in New York state, and later worked in Securities Law for a large firm in Birmingham, Alabama. He now lives in the countryside of Japan and makes washi (traditional Japanese paper) for a living with his wife, Haruka. A graduate of the University of Alabama in political science and religion, with an MA from Florida State University in philosophy and ethics, and a JD from Syracuse University College of Law, he has a diversified background that through diligence and good fortune has taken him all over the world, including residential stints in Greece, England, and South Korea.

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