Don't fix (shit!) Don't teach a pig to sing!
Don't try to teach a pig to sing; it will irritate the pig and frustrate you.”
Okay, let me tell you something: don't try to fix it. Don't aim to fix (shit!). Our problems are many, and the moment you become a fixer, you also become a preacher. Giving help is not advised, and giving advice is not working anymore.
The reason these habits are not working is that literally everyone is trying to imply and force everyone else to be like them, and everything falls apart. The differences become huge, and we hardly find a means of communication and interaction. We expect everyone else to be like us. What happened to take things one step at a time? What happened to our wavering wisdom? I learned this a few years back when I was trying to help some of my friends or give them advice, and it didn't work. There's one reason for that: people are what they are, and if they wanted to change, they would have changed. Why do you think they waited for you to give them words of advice?
Don't try to fix them. Don't try to fix your children, your partner, or your dog! Let them make mistakes and discover their own path along the way. Is your worst fear that they go out into the world and hurt themselves? How about if they are living in the world but their souls are dead? Is that better? I think the worst thing we can do is give advice that doesn't work, and perhaps what works for you doesn't work for others, especially if the times have changed and are indeed changing fast.
The way I build my friendships now versus before is by knowing that I'm the worst advice-giver. I mean, come on, I just met that person or I’ve known that friend for a few months perhaps a few years, why do I want to fix them? Do I know their story? Do I know what they've been through? Do I want to go through an investigation trying to understand why that person's life is falling apart? How about I look in the mirror first? Did I see that my life is fully functioning? Karma always comes into play: the moment you start fixing shit, shit comes to you! Because you're not supposed to do that. There are better ways of self-empowerment and ways we can help than imposing our own ways on others.
And this applies to creativity as well. Everyone gives their opinion on the logo you've just designed and how they want it to be better. Do they know any better? Everyone is trying to fix your commas, dashes, and whatnot, but do the people giving advice try to understand your story?
The best thing you can do is live. The moment you start thinking this or that, your soul will wither away, and you'll find that you're miserable and haven't fixed shit! So, don't fix shit. Don't fix your friends or your loved ones. Don't fix your writing. Hire an expert and pay them money to do whatever you want. Don't give advice and don't ask for it. It doesn't work; it has never worked. Just become the best version you can be, and if you try to share your wisdom, do it in a classy way by scratching your own itch. There are many ways in which you can share your wisdom: become a professional, not a fixer.
I now preface everything new I do with a disclaimer: this decision is mine only, as long as it doesn't hurt any members of this household. I don't aim to influence or change anyone's opinions about anything. Anyone can become who they want to be and try whatever they want to try as long as they don't damage themselves or their loved ones emotionally, physically, or mentally.
Input doesn't necessarily mean output. A decision now doesn't mean a decision forever; our nightmares of yesterday could be the stepping stones to our dreams tomorrow. Our dreams and beliefs about who we are are constantly changing and will always change.
This is freeing because we are very complex beings. Our thoughts are complex. Input doesn't equal output. Input doesn't necessarily mean output. A decision now doesn't mean a decision forever; our nightmares of yesterday could be the stepping stones to our dreams tomorrow. Our dreams and beliefs about who we are are constantly changing and will always change.
You might come across someone who hasn't learned a skill in 10 years or hasn't expanded their vocabulary or read a book. I know many people like that. That's on them. Trust me, 99% of people will not change their habits (any of their habits) during their lifetime.
My favorite proverb is: “Don't try to teach a pig to sing; it will irritate the pig and frustrate you.”
Don't teach someone how to sing. Don't teach them how to draw: Run. Sing. Dance. Be. If a person wants to be, let them be. If they don't want to be, let them be as well.
Don’t try to fix your business. If your business or product is not working pull the plug on it. Don’t try to fix a story that’s not working! Rewriting over and over again will only make it worse with time. You can write a new story. Being honest is the key!
I’ve pulled the plug on so many things that I felt are not working, why should I try to force things into existence if they’re not working? I learned to be flexible, adapt, and change. It’s really freeing and liberating because trying to fix the world is impossible. Maybe start by fixing yourself – even fixing yourself is not going to work, but that’s a different story altogether! Perhaps the keyword I’m looking for is: accept.