Yes, there are times when the interwebs deliver true value…

Was this one of those times?

I’ll leave that for you to decide.

On the same day, during the same Facebook session, while wasting the same perfectly good time that might have been used for something otherwise more productive…

I came upon Chris Pratt’s “Nine Rules of Life” and then Tim Minchin’s “Nine Life Lessons to University Graduates” within minutes of each other. This is what one gets on the occasional, high-quality Facebook feed… life advice from an actor followed by counsel from a comedian.

Go figure.

The odd thing about it was, although both are unlikely Google page one hits for sage counsel, they both gave pretty good advice.

All nine of Chris’ rules of life were noteworthy, so I picked a few of my favorites to share…

Breathe. If you don’t, you will suffocate.” 

With all the ways you could interpret this, one can find wisdom in each. Even if it’s simply the value of not turning blue and passing out. But it’s more than oxygenation here. Relax, slow down, smell those thorny roses. Give yourself some space, some room to spread your wings. I’ve got you started, now you do the rest… and breathe.

You have a soul. Be careful with it.”

A soul might be a lot of things to a lot of different people. Possibly that’s the point… your difference. A soul is certainly your humanity, the part that lives deep inside you… your inner youness. Treat it well, with kindness.

Now shifting gears, but with no less significance…

Don’t be a turd. If you are strong, be a protector. If you are smart, be a humble influencer. Strength and intelligence can be weapons, so do not wield them against the weak. That makes you a bully. Be bigger than that.” 

This one needs no further comment. However, let’s not stop with strength and intelligence, they aren’t the only gifts that can used to inflict harm on the weak. Use your gifts honorably. You can lose them as quickly as they came to you.

Doesn’t matter what it is. Earn it. A good deed. Reach out to someone in pain. Be of service. It feels good and it’s good for your soul.”

There’s that soul thing again… you’ve got to care for it. Ever feel like you got more than your share of breaks? Share your fortune. If you were allowed to skip the first few steps because life’s been good to you, maybe it’s not nap time. Maybe it’s steppin’ out time?

Everything is better when you work for it, isn’t it?

You can find more of Chris Pratt’s wisdom here.

Now on to Tim Minchin…

He opens his graduation talk to his alma mater, The University of Western Australia, with humble self-awareness…

I have had large groups of people listening to what I say for quite a few years now, and it’s given me an inflated sense of self-importance. So, I will now – at the ripe old age of 37.9 – bestow upon you nine life lessons…”

Keep in mind, he’s a comedian… though be it a motivational comedian…

You might find some of this stuff inspiring, you will find some of it boring, and you will definitely forget all of it within a week.”

All that said, I’m telling you there actually is wisdom to be found wedged between his wit and sarcasm. So, buckle up and here we go…

You don’t have to have a dream.”

… I never really had one of these big dreams. And so, I advocate passionate dedication to the pursuit of short-term goals. Be micro-ambitious. Put your head down and work with pride on whatever is in front of you… you never know where you might end up. Just be aware that the next worthy pursuit will probably appear in your periphery.”

Big dreams are great for many of us when you know for certain you’re on the right track early on. And that’s good if you’re one of the lucky ones. The true wisdom however, is when Tim advises us to keep an eye on the periphery. You don’t want to miss your calling because it happens to be hidden among some shiny objects, do you?

Be hard on your opinions.”

A famous bon mot asserts that opinions are like arse-holes, in that everyone has one. There is great wisdom in this… but I would add that opinions differ significantly from arse-holes, in that yours should be constantly and thoroughly examined.

We must think critically, and not just about the ideas of others. Be hard on your beliefs. Take them out onto the verandah and beat them with a cricket bat.

Be intellectually rigorous. Identify your biases, your prejudices, your privilege.”

The question becomes, “How do we know that what we believe to be true and accurate, is actually true and accurate?” Most of the time we don’t, do we? Why do I believe X? How do I know Y? Does it all add up to Z? Wellllll, I did hear that on the internet.

Don’t rush.

You will soon be dead. Life will sometimes seem long and tough and, God, it’s tiring. And you will sometimes be happy and sometimes sad. And then you’ll be old. And then you’ll be dead.

There is only one sensible thing to do with this empty existence, and that is: fill it. Not fillet. Fill. It.”

See, even some existentialism for the masses.

The full witty and wisdom filled address can be found here on Tim Minchin’s blog.

I hope you found these rules and life lessons both amusing and enlightening. Wisdom resides in the most unsuspected places, though I’m not sure this is one of them.

 

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