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:
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.
Think before you speak, I speak without thinking and it's got me in trouble for petty things. Using WE over YOU is extremely valuable.. even when you had nothing to do with the problem it is OUR problem.
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
Corporations aren’t your friend. Avoid the publicly-traded ones seeking quartely profits the most. If it isn’t a massive burden, find an alternative—avoiding some is better than none.
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.
Never take time for granted - expect you'll have less of it than you want or need.
It can really help with getting priorities straight - whether that's with work or with your personal life. Where is it exactly you want to spend the most valuable and limited resource you have?
Your time?
Learn to recognize when you're responding defensively to a statement made by those around you.
-There wrong about me, they're the problem
- I'm fine i don't bed to listen to that
- etc...
Think about it for a few days, once you're over the initial emotional reaction. Be critical of your own response and contemplate the motivation for the statement
- is it out of care for you or manipulation
- Is it honest or malicious?
- Are they expressing a need?
That's when you have the greatest opportunity to grow as a person and build deeper relationships. It's also when you have an opportunity to break your mindset and get out of malicious ones.
"To be an adult, you need to know when it is apropriate to be childish"
"Never paint the devil on the wall, unless he stands in the hallway, so make sure you have some paint at home"
"Honesty lasts longest"
The first advice here basically boils down to "remember to have fun in a responsible manner", I like the original phrasing better as is more fun and also implies as shitload more knowledge.
The second advice is a modified version of a Swedish saying, it boils down to, "don't expect the worst, but if it happens, take notes and learn, oh and you should have a pen and notebook at home". I like this as well as it again tells you to relax, but learn from mistakes and be prepared to learn from them.
The third advice is just common sense, life just gets so much easier if you act and speak honestly, this obviously doesn't mean to be brutaly honest or blatantly selfish as long as you are honest. But rather avoid situations that would require you to lie.
EDIT:
I just thought about another peice of advice:
"If you have nothing to hide, then you can't be trusted"
We all have secrets, some are just embarrasing, others can destroy lives, stating that you have nothing to hide is one of the worst ways to try and gain trust, since it means one of two things:
You are a liar, as previously stated everyone has things to hide, so you are just plain lying.
You won't keep a secret, if asked you will tell others priveleged information given to you.
Question: Is being a good listener about not speaking or about making sure the other person feels heard and understood no matter how that might present itself for that individual?
When you think about who you want to be be as vague as possible. Too specific and you might pigeon-hole yourself. It will be much easier to adjust bad surface level habits and ideas when they haven’t cemented themselves as core to your sense of being.
Chase the “why” more than the “what” and you’ll be able to be more versatile. You might find yourself to be kinder, stronger, more supportive, and be able to really trust in who you are at your core.