If it changed your life for the better, you probably remember it — and who gave it to you. Not all advice has that kind of power. Even funny advice can turn your life around and get you moving in a better direction. We want you to have all the advantages good life advice can bring you. So, we curated this list of the best life-changing ideas. Look through it and save the ones that hit you right where you live. Someday, you’ll be the one sharing it with someone else.
What Is Good Advice for Life?
By now, you’ve probably heard plenty of advice that did you little if any good. So, before we dive into some of the best advice about life, let’s break down the qualities that make it so.
It’s proven to work or to have positive results. It’s timely — and timeless. It’s doable (and cost-effective).
Good advice is advice you can afford to follow and others have used to get the results you want. And as you’re about to see, the best advice takes it a step further.
What Is the Best Piece of Advice Ever?
What’s the best life advice you can get? That depends on what you need to hear to let go of your past and take control of your own life. Of course, there’s no guarantee that the advice you receive when you need help the most is going to be good. According to Guy Kawasaki, the best, most helpful advice has the following in common:
It’s true — i.e., not based on assumptions, wishful thinking, or fads. It’s concrete — i.e., it has steps you can follow.
The best advice for you, then, fits those two criteria and meets you right where you are.
33 Top Pieces of Random Advice to Improve Your Life
When someone gives you a random piece of advice, chances are they’ve heard it from someone else (or several someones). The 33 pieces of advice here have been around longer than you have. Which ones mean the most to you?
1. Forgive and let go.
You’re not telling the offender what they did or said was okay. You’re releasing yourself from the pain of dwelling on it. You’re setting yourself free. Whether or not the other person ever feels regret is not your business — or your problem.
2. “Do the best you can until you know better.” — Maya Angelou
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. If you learned at an early age to fear the consequences of making visible mistakes, challenge that fear now. Prioritize learning and growing over getting it right the first time. And when you know better, do better.
3. Life is about managing expectations.
No one wants to spend their life trying to live up to someone else’s expectations of them. It’s also self-defeating to set unrealistic expectations (too high or too low) for yourself or the world and try to ensure those expectations are met.
4. Let go of the idea that things could’ve been any other way.
There’s no point in wondering, “What if…?” Don’t waste time dwelling on what might have been. Before you made a particular choice or before something happened, the potential for other choices and outcomes existed. Now, all you have is the present. Be there for it.
5. Just keep going. No matter what.
You may lack specific resources, but if you’re willing to accept discomfort and push through it, you can still get closer to your goals, even if you have to deal with rejection and painful lessons along the way. Keep taking one step forward at a time, even when it’s hard.
6. Listen more than you speak.
Listen intently, and listen to learn. Let go of the need to gather ammo for your reply. If you’re not listening to understand, you’re wasting your time and the speaker’s, too. Check your ego at the door, and be fully present when your attention is needed.
7. “Do what you’re afraid to do.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Most people avoid what scares them, but, as you’ve no doubt heard before, nothing grows in your comfort zone. So, step out of it. Do something every day that scares you, even if just a little. Look for ways to stretch yourself.
8. Be kind. Always.
Treat others as you would like to be treated. This is a basic rule for getting along with the rest of your species — and other species, too. If you can be cruel to one, you can be cruel to all. And what you condone, you can also exceed.
9. Change your thinking, change your life.
Your thoughts determine your actions as well as your attitude. Take a closer look at the thoughts that come into your head and be honest about where they came from and where they tend to lead you. From there, you can consciously choose better ones.
10. Learn to pause.
When you’re stressed, angry, or nervous, take a moment to stop what you’re doing, close your eyes, and take at least one deep breath. Take note of where you physically feel the energy of those emotions. The brief separation allows you to accept the feelings without giving them control.
11. Be patient with all (including yourself).
Remember that everyone is fighting a battle, and the only battle you’re witness to is your own. Don’t assume your stuff is worse than someone else’s. Don’t assume your faults are, either. Trust that everyone has a learning curve, and root for them as you root for yourself.
12. If you never learn another thing in life, learn to meditate.
Learn as many kinds as you like. Meditation gives you time to care for your deepest self. The more you practice, the more aware you become of who you are, what you want, and what you need to do. A daily habit will change your life in every way.
13. Always show your appreciation.
If you didn’t grow up writing “Thank you” cards, it’s never too late to start. Or, if you know you’re more likely to put that off, send a quick email or text to express your gratitude. It’s a lot better than nothing. Don’t end the day without thanking someone.
14. Never waste an opportunity to make someone smile.
Put aside, for the moment, how you’ll feel when you’ve done or said something that lights up someone else’s face. Put yourself in their place and be the friend you’d want to have in that moment. This is kindness plus going the extra mile. And it’s worth it.
15. The greatest gift you can give your children is your own emotional well-being.
Take this to heart, especially if you’re in an emotionally abusive relationship. Too many couples stay together “for the sake of the kids” when staying together can cost them their emotional health and vitality. You and your kids deserve better. 37 Fun Things To Do By Yourself 100 Of The Best Inspirational Quotes And Sayings Of All Time 51 Of The Best Things To Cheer You Up
16. If there were one right way to raise a child, everyone would do it the same way.
There are always going to be people out there who are sure they know the right way to parent, and some won’t hesitate to point out what you’re doing “wrong.” But what they think of your parenting has more to do with their insecurities than with you.
17. Take time to know yourself.
Self-knowledge is essential to growth. Make it a priority to get to know your true self, and don’t overlook the benefits of talking to a therapist. Journaling is another excellent way to get better acquainted with your interests, values, and core beliefs.
18. Be impeccable with your word.
This advice is one of the Four Agreements explained by Don Miguel Ruiz. At its essence, this first one means be watchful of the words you use and do as much good — and as little harm — with them as possible.
19. Don’t take things personally.
The second agreement is a reminder that how someone treats others reflects how they feel about themselves. If they feel the need to cut with their words, it’s to forget, for a moment, the pain they feel on the inside. It’s not about you.
20. Don’t make assumptions.
The third agreement is a tough one to follow, as we are always making assumptions — about ourselves, about other people, about unexpected changes, etc. It saves time but costs us in other ways. Instead, ask yourself, “Is that really true?” and be prepared to learn.
21. Always do your best.
The third agreement guards against perfectionism. The point is to do the best you can with what you know and what you have. You do no one any favors by condemning your efforts when they fall short of the ideal. Just do your best, and keep learning.
22. Be skeptical. But learn to listen.
The fifth agreement (from a separate book) reminds you to use — and develop — critical thinking skills and get in the habit of questioning things. When you approach things as a questioner (rather than a knower), you’re more open to new ways of looking at things.
23. No job is beneath you.
Take every job as an opportunity to do your best and to learn what you can from it. If it’s not a learning experience, it’s at least an opportunity to serve in some way — to do some good. The humblest jobs and those who hold them are often the most necessary.
24. Life is good, but it’s not fair.
Life is beautiful, and every new day is a gift. But that doesn’t mean everything that happens to you (or someone else) will be fair or will cooperate with your plans. Get used to the idea that what’s set in motion has little respect for one person’s plans. Learn to pivot.
25. Trust your instincts.
Or, to put it another way, trust your gut or your intuition, which knows things before your brain has had a chance to process the information around you. Practice listening to that inner voice, so when it has something important to tell you, you’ll hear it.
26. Dreams are just dreams until you take action.
Dreams are great, but they’re trapped in your head until you give them life by taking action. You don’t have to start with dramatic action, either (though you can). Just do something every day that gets you closer to making it real.
27. Do what is right — not what is easy.
Doing the right thing is often difficult (or, at least, inconvenient), but choosing the right thing over the easy thing is essential to becoming the person you want to be — someone who rises to every challenge and cares about how their actions impact others.
28. Make every day meaningful.
Every day is an opportunity to do good and to make a difference in someone’s life — or your own. Take time every morning to feel gratitude for the new day and think about how you’ll make it count. Don’t wait for someone else to give it meaning for you.
29. Be you. Don’t worry about what other people think.
Always be your authentic self. That doesn’t mean you’ll always act the same or even that you’ll think the same way throughout your life. But to grow, you need to know who you are and what you really think. Worrying about what other people think just gets in the way.
30. Don’t wait until you’re older to take care of your health.
If you want to live a long life, pay attention to your health when you’re young. Develop good health habits, including regular exercise, a healthy diet, and limiting alcohol and recreational drug use. Don’t smoke and wear sunscreen. Find ways to reduce stress (like meditation), and stay up-to-date with preventative health and dental care.
31. Spend more on experiences than things.
Material things may bring temporary joy, but they don’t create happy memories or life-changing adventures. Direct more of your spending toward travel, learning, time with family and friends, and fun adventures. These are the things that you’ll carry with you throughout your life. They will expand you and help you evolve and grow.
32. Keep adding to your skillset.
Life should be a process of continuous learning and growth. The more skills you develop, the more opportunities will come your way. You’ll become a more curious and interesting person. Develop new hobbies, take training classes, get certified in something, go back to school, or learn a new language. All of these keep your brain sharp and help you move ahead personally and in your career.
33. Assume the best in people.
In our polarized culture, it’s easy to see others as wrong, bad, or misguided. We have an “us against them” mindset that makes us assume the worst about people. However, most people are essentially good, even when they have different opinions or beliefs. So try hard to focus on the good and recognize that those who disagree aren’t bad people.
How will you use this random advice?
Now that you’ve looked through these 33 pieces of advice and found your favorites, do what you can to keep them in mind:
Use them (one at a time) as journaling prompts. Write one on a whiteboard you see every day. Have a mug or other item custom-made with it.
The goal here is to help you remember the advice that benefits you most. Even better if it also inspires other people in your life. What advice will you act on this week? And what advice are you likely to share?
