049- Timeless wisdom: 5 pieces of advice from an Octogenarian

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Yesterday was my dad's 80th birthday. In celebration of that, I thought I'd share some of the best advice that he's shared with me, either directly or through the book that he wrote. I could probably come up with 80 different things but I am going to keep it to my favorite 5 things, not in any particular order.

1. "Ask questions."- Growing up, my sister and I were always encouraged to ask questions. Here's a little story about me, from my dad. Sarah often "helped" me as I puttered around. She asked questions, a lot of questions. Now as enlightened parents, Becky and I encouraged her curiosity, but this day, they were coming one after another, with scarcely time for me to answer. Feeling a tiny bit of frustration, I looked at her and said, 'SARAH! why do you ask so many questions?' There was a long silence. Then she said, 'Dad, why do I ask so many questions? Fun fact- I used this little story as part of my Cal Poly, SLO college application essay, back when they required those things.

2. "Shoveling shit builds character."- my dad actually wrote a guest blogger post HERE, if you want to read some of his wisdom. The quote "Shoveling shit builds character" can definitely apply to the concept of developing a strong work ethic when it comes to doing hard things. When we push through challenging tasks and difficult situations, we develop resilience and perseverance, which are essential qualities for success in any field. In today's world, it sure appears that there aren't always people or employees that are willing to DIG through the hard stuff to work their way up. If you can, however, you will be a much better person for it.

3. "The world is run by the people who show up." This quote from Benjamin Franklin is something I heard more as an adult than when I was a kid, but is something my dad feels strongly about. The first time I remember hearing it was when my dad ran for County Supervisor in 1999-2000. Its very easy to sit around and complain about the world around us, whether it be local, city, county or beyond. This quote is a powerful reminder of the impact of active participation and the critical role we all should play in the world around us. Be present, take initiative, and make a meaningful contribution.

4. "Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult." This was something I heard a lot growing up, especially on the ranch. This principle, attributed to Peter Drucker, speaks volumes about the importance of designing environments that foster positive choices. For our family, it was most frequently spoken when it came to training horses and dogs for ranch work, or for getting cattle to move where you needed them to go.  It can definitely be applied to things outside the ranch too. It can serve as a guiding principle for all of us from everything to parenting to property management.

5. "I just want you to have choices." My dad has used this phrase a lot with my sister and I, and now his grandkids. You know, as a parent, all we really want is for our kids to have options in life, right? It's not about pushing them into a specific career or field. It's more like wanting them to be equipped with a toolbox of choices. You know, the kind that lets them pick what truly sparks their interest. It's about giving them the freedom to explore, make mistakes, and figure out what they want to be when they grow up. Although, I am still working on that one... We want them to have plenty of opportunities where they can choose their own adventure. Because let's face it, life's more fun when you get to decide which road to take.

I am sure there is more I could say but these are my favorites. We really can learn a lot from those older than us, even if we sometimes roll our eyes when they share their wisdom. Thanks Dad for all your guidance. Happy birthday!