Episode summary introduction:

This podcast episode elucidates the paramount significance of companionship and the necessity of seeking guidance amidst the complexities of life. We delve into the notion that no individual should traverse the arduous journey of existence in solitude, as we collectively navigate both the triumphs and tribulations that life presents. Our discourse encompasses the provision of sage advice, underscoring the notion that everyone occasionally requires direction to alleviate the burdens they bear. Together, we explore an array of valuable insights designed to resonate with listeners, encouraging them to embrace the wisdom shared and apply it to their own lives. Join us as we embark on this electronic walkabout, a journey that aims to illuminate the path forward.

Topics discussed in this episode:

In a further exploration of the core themes, the speakers delve into the notion of advice, exploring its multifaceted nature. They assert that advice is not universally resonant; it varies in its impact depending on the listener's personal context. This discussion acknowledges that while some may find solace and clarity in certain pieces of advice, others may find them irrelevant or untimely. The speakers encourage listeners to actively seek out guidance that resonates with them and to act upon it without hesitation. The episode also touches on the idea that one's values are only as tangible as the actions taken to embody them, reinforcing the importance of aligning one's behavior with their principles. The speakers conclude by urging listeners to take practical steps towards living authentically, emphasizing that life is a journey best shared and navigated in the company of others.

Walkabout takeaways:

• It is imperative for each person to occasionally seek guidance and support in their endeavors.
• Life presents a multitude of experiences, encompassing both joy and adversity, which we should share with one another.
• The pursuit of personal ambitions often necessitates the acknowledgment that skills develop over time, requiring patience and perseverance.
• In navigating the complexities of existence, one must remain receptive to advice that resonates, for it may illuminate one's path.
• True values manifest through actions that align with one's principles, rather than mere theoretical assertions.

Links Referenced:

The 11 Best Pieces of Advice I’ve Ever Received

https://www.philrosen.blog/p/best-life-advice-lessons-wisdom-books-travels-phil-rosen-journalist-writer-2023-8

Tim McGraw – Humble and Kind Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

https://genius.com/Tim-mcgraw-live-like-you-were-dying-lyrics

More about E-Walkabout:

To learn more about Electronic Walkabout visit us at www.ewalkabout.ca.

If you want to read more “Thoughts of the Day” check out TC’s Book at Amazon:

“St. Mike's Fortunes”

A special thanks to Steven Kelly, our technical advisor, who keeps trying to teach these old dogs new tricks when it comes to sounds and recording!!

“Remember to take advantage of the moment before the moment takes advantage of you!”

Electronic walkabout. No one should have to walk through life alone. We share the good times, the bad times, and the best times.

Everyone needs a little direction now and again. And TC and Mad Dog are here.

To show you the way. A podcast where we talk about the important things in life. Come journey with us, the electronic Walkabout.

Mad Dog, great to be in the studio with you again and take our listeners on another electronic walkabout.

Great to be here. Great to see you, sir.

Hey, I meant to ask you, what's the weather like down your way these days?

Let me do some quick math here. Go from Fahrenheit to celsius. Sitting around 80 to 86 this week, so kind of like mid-20s. Super nice, wide open, kind of Alberta skies down here. So.

Yeah, it's beautiful.

Oh, nice touching. Alberta skies. Yes. Oh, well, 28 degree here. Celsius.

Oh, good. Yeah. Any rain following that?

Yeah. So you. You knew that, didn't you?

I just happened to have a hunch. Yep.

During this episode of Mad Dog, we're going to take a journey to explore good, if not great advice. And it's never easy to navigate the world we live in. And a couple of pointers now and again certainly takes the weight off. Are you open to that?

I'm open for sure.

But first, as always, a thought for the day. I used to tell my mom to relax all the time. I just need to take that advice.

So true, so true.

And it's funny, I did actually tell my mom that quite a few times and she was not happy when I said it.

Do tell,

Until then, it was like the sky was falling in her and I said, mom, just relax.

Yeah, that never goes over well.

Never. Like a lead balloon.

So in doing the extensive research that I normally do for these podcasts, Mad Dog, I found a couple of articles that shared some good advice.

So I thought, why not combine the two articles and share some of that advice with the listeners, get some feedback from you on some of the advice to see, hey, I remember a time or, you know, I think that's fantastic advice. It's totally up to you. Whatever you want to share with the listeners, that's for this episode.

And you will give input as well, sir?

I certainly will. And you know what? I appreciate when I don't. You certainly step up the plate and. And help me do that.

No problem. That's what I'm here for.

The funny thing about advice, that it. It does not resonate with everyone in the same way. So if the listeners hear a piece of advice that they can run with.

Then don't wait for the starter pistol to go off. Just do it.

Just do it.

Oh, yeah. Like here. And this one. Remind me, there's a T shirt place in the mall here in Chilliwack. And they're like.

They're just sitting sayings that basically put things in perspective in a. In a. In a harsh but. But it makes sense kind of way. But this one kind of reflects that kind of thing you would see on one of these T shirts.

Your life is your responsibility.

A lot of people try and dodge that, but that is the fact of the matter. And I love those shirt places.

Yeah. I keep thinking, one of these days I'm gonna pop out and buy one and. But it's true. I mean, your life is your responsibility.

When do you want to hear that advice is what I wonder. Because even. Because I. I talked to Jeanette this morning. Okay. So when you think about it, she started working at 14. I was 15.

So that mean, basically, prior to then, like, we didn't have a care in the world, and we didn't appreciate that life was our responsibility. We just thought that's what you did. But at one point, the switch went on. Said, wait a second. I look over my shoulders. No mom and dad anymore.

I'm the one that's kind of driving this bus now.

Yeah. Reaching into your jeans and finding pennies. Yeah. It's the realization that it's your journey.

Here's one that I find very interesting. It takes time for your skills to catch up to your ambitions.

I think that's accurate.

So you think about it. Let's say my ambition is that I want to be, I don't know, lead singer at a rock and roll band.

So do I just go to the five and dime as Brian Adams, didn't want to buy a six string, and the rest is history. I'm a world superstar.

Well, I think nowadays that's changed.

There seems to be a bigger demand for instant gratification without putting in work, which a lot of, you know, industries did previously, like the music industry being one of them. People had to make their own CDs. They had to shop them out. They had to, you know, a little G gigs here and there.

And nowadays people record stuff, throw it on the Internet, and they're instantly famous. So it's definitely a different era.

But.

But either way, I mean, even when you look at some of these talent shows, you can tell that a lot of these contestants have had either some vocal training or, so some music training. It wasn't that they just woke up and did an audition and their next thing you know, they're on nationwide tv.

It's interesting. My wife and I were in Vegas month or two ago, and in the MGM grand, they have a karaoke bar. So my wife loves karaoke.

So I'm like, well, let's just hang out and listen to some of these. And we listene listened to five different people sing, and there is no chance that that was not a setup because they were all unbelievable.

And I said to her, I said, when have you ever in your life heard this many singers this good in a row? I said, this is a part of their draw where I'm sure they, they pay some of these people, you know, minimal, but get them up there to draw the crowd.

Yeah, it's. I don't know where I was going with that.

Well, more important question.

Yes.

Did you. Did you karaoke?

Oh, gosh, no. I wouldn't do that to the people around there.

Like, my wife and I went a Rush concert and I recorded part of it, and part of it I heard myself singing. And that is a firm commitment that I will never expose people to that ever again.

As Clint Eastwood said, a man's gotta know his limitations.

He does. And I found out mine pretty quick.

Here's one. Life is all about managing expectation. Most of all your own.

I was just gonna say whose expectations? Because.

Yeah, but. But it's true. It's your own. But like, let's, let's face it, mom and dad might have had expectations for us. Did we fall short? Maybe yes, maybe no.

But at the end of the day, they're your expectations that you have to manage, no one else's. Yeah.

I think there's maybe hopes that your kids might do something, but, you know, the reality is, is that if your kids are happy and fulfilling their lives and doing what they do best, then that's. That's them. That's how they are. And maybe it didn't fit what you wanted, but to your point, it's not your reality.

And again, we. I don't know how much we've talked about expectations, but they have to be realistic for sure.

Absolutely. Absolutely.

Here's an interesting one. And you should never be at home.

Think about this for a second because it is kind of odd when you first hear it, but there's a reason why this, this advice is given.

Okay. Do tell.

Here's the thing that, Doc, I mean, if you are, let's say, a homebody and truly, what you want to do is you want to, let's say, craft a skill or get better at something. The only way you're going to do that is if you interact with other people, get their feedback.

And not to say that you can't do a lot of great things by yourself, but at the end of the day, it's almost like you have to be able to take those SK wheels and I'll say pedal your wares to see whether in fact they're at the level, or I'll say expectations that you want them to be at.

Yeah. And we only know what we know.

And if you just stay in your own little bubble and don't expose yourself to anything, you're probably missing quite a few things that could benefit you.

But I'm damn good in my own little bubble, I will tell you this.

Well, then fill your boots.

When you know better, do better.

Good with that.

I like this one. Focus is a superpower nowadays.

That's pretty true. Especially with the way things are going. You know, when you.

We talk about training videos and stuff, everybody's like, well, they can't be longer than an Instagram reel. Otherwise people don't pay attention. It's like, oh, yeah. Like, it's.

For a lot of our products, we have QR codes on the cases that you can scan and, you know, figure out how to bake them properly and stuff like that. Every singing, you know, they're talking specifically about their workforce. They're like, yeah, it's got to be like, 30 seconds. Otherwise they just.

They get lost. And I'm like, oh, my goodness.

I don't get that. Because, I mean, we.

And I get the whole focusing and you're kind of on the right track to where I was going because the way that we're so technically inclined these days that it's so easy to. To get distracted by that ding of your phone or that notification for this notification for that, your emails, your phone's ringing.

It doesn't matter what it is. But if you really keep your focus, keep your head down, it'd be amazing how far you get a day.

Absolutely. And technology. It's a quick story.

My boss was in the car with me the other day, and he picked up his phone, and we were trying to figure out where we were supposed to be for dinner. So he asked copilot. He's like, copilot, go through all of my. And especially one from Pascal and see where we're supposed to be having dinner tonight.

Pause, pause. The dinner is tonight, scheduled at the black diet. I was like, are you kidding me?

So that co pilot searched through all of his emails and found the reference to where we were having dinner and spoke it back to us. So it's crazy what's going on with technology these days.

I just wonder if copilot has any loyalties to anyone because that can be a little dangerous.

And the way that he spoke to it is that it gave so many vague answers.

So the instruction at the end was, next time I ask you a question like this, after you found the answer, make sure you go back and double check it to, you know, for accuracy. And then it came back with, sure, I'll make sure that I'm more prudent. I was like, oh, man, it's. It's scary.

It is scary because it. It learns.

And if it gives you advice, do you take that advice?

Or. I don't know, maybe they. Or it is. They were wondering who. I don't know. They're in cahoots so that, you know, the.

The interesting thing about advice is that, yeah, there's lots of great advice out there, but it seems like in order for us to actually, okay, maybe I should take that advice now. There always seems to be something. I'll just say bad that has to happen that put you in that right context to say, I'm going to take that advice. And.

And what I want to do right now is again, go back to a timber Gross song. The song live like you were dying. And I'm just going to read the lyrics just to kind of really hit home hard about where I'm going with this.

But so obviously for people who haven't listened to the song, I can't imagine who hasn't heard the song, but I guess it's. It's possible because there are these people that don't listen to country music.

I've heard.

I don't know where they are.

I don't know where they are either.

Part of the lyrics. Talking about the options and talking about sweet time. I asked him when it sank in that this might really be the real end.

How's it hit you when you get that kind of news, man, what do you do? I went skydiving. I went rocky mountain climbing. I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fu Manchu.

And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter and I gave forgiveness I had been denying. And he said, someday I hope you get the chance to live like you or die.

But why would you wait? When you sum it up like that, like, it sounds like we should be just living like that and not having death be on our doorstep to promote that.

Well, that's. That's the whole point. We had. Something bad's happened all of a sudden, but the doors are always open for us to jump all over that.

Except for that bull name Food Manchu. And you can have that.

Okay, that's some bad advice.

That's bad. I've seen some of those rodeo cowboys, cowgirls, and my God.

Yeah. It's funny though, like, do you think receptiveness to solicited versus unsolicited advice is different?

Because if you were looking for advice, you would ask if somebody just walked up to you and gave you advice, what would your initial kind of intake of that be?

It'd be what?

You know, I know these things. You don't need to tell me, but it's funny. Not funny, but one of the things that.

The biggest thing I took from my mom's passing was that when she was kind of on her deathbed, she. She gave me advice. Like, I didn't ask for it, but she said, you know, James, I spent so much of my time thinking about the past. And I said.

She said, I spent so much time planning for the future. I didn't live in today very much. So she said, live in today. And I. That has been my marching order since that day. I didn't ask for that advice.

But to your point about, you know, live like you were dying, that's usually seems, I think when you start reflecting, that's when that sound advice comes out. Is unfortunately, at that time of people's lives, and you can either take it and, you know, apply it or not. And I chose to apply it.

It's. It sounded like that advice from your mom was a gift. A part. I'll call it a parting gift. Right. For sure. Very, very special.

The thing about it is that when you do get that wake up call where you've got the diagnosis that you have, let's say terminal cancer, and you realize you've got a short time to live, you can't live all your life in, let's say, nine to ten months.

No, no, you wish you could. You'll probably try as much as you can, but yeah, chances are not, which is unfortunate. But yeah, from that I took that.

I. I never want to be that shoulda, coulda, woulda guy that if I was ever on my deathbed, I'd. I really wish I would open that martial arts school or I wish I would have done this or I wish I had that.

No, as Long as it wasn't hurting somebody and it was not going to be counterproductive to the family, I, I made sure that I did those things that I had intended to do.

Well, I'll say that's really, really good advice. And just to build on that really, really good advice, would it not be worthwhile?

Maybe every six months to a year, just take two steps back and saying, hey, are you living life the way you want to live? Is there anything you're missing out on? Because you're missing out on only because of one person and that's you. So.

Yeah, no, I think that's a great idea.

Your word is bond.

I think it's. Yeah, I know it was used to be a thing where you could do things on a handshake back in the olden days.

And then, you know, I still think that your word is your bond, but I don't know if it's as solid as it used to be.

That's a little scary because I was actually thinking about you in the business you're in where you have to have the relationships and people have to trust you and the only way they can trust you is if your word is solid. And the moment they realize that it's a little shaky, you're done. You're done.

A lot of, there's a lot of like business relationships like that, but personal relationships just as much.

You have to be a person of your word. It doesn't matter what scenario you're in. Work personal.

There's no such thing as the right time.

Correct. Oh, I'm going to wait till I have this much in the bank till we have a baby and blah, blah, blah. That one a million times or I.

Can't afford to have a baby. And I think, well, who can?

Exactly. Yeah, yeah. No, it's. I don't think there is ideal type.

Sure.

There's what you would think is ideal. Okay, well, I have my house and I've got all the furniture and I've got, you know, blah, blah, blah.

But I think it probably rarely works out that way.

No, I mean there's, there's someone else obviously that, that's pulling your strings a little bit at times, whether you believe it or not. But you just, you, you, you can't wait as. As they. As the. Was it carbon diem sees the day.

Yep, yep.

Just keep going no matter what.

Yeah. Eventually, if you bang your head against the wall enough times, you'll figure something out.

Out.

But you know, it's, it is easy to give up on things but if you're, you know, focused and persistent.

Yeah.

Sometimes you got to make multiple runs at things to make it work.

So these people that give up after the first try, like, what do you do with.

Yeah, I don't know, because it just kind of says that they don't do well in the face of adversity or not. They're not adaptable and those sorts of things. So, yeah, it is limiting. If that's your course of action, always leave wiggle room.

I've found that out more and more as I've gotten older.

How did age bring that to life?

Oh, just learning. Right. You go through some things and it's like, I can get that done in three days.

You get a little bit older, it's like, well, you know, maybe I'll built in a couple hours. Let's. I can get a D in the fourth day. You know what I mean? So it is just by learning, you know, trial and error.

Yeah. It's funny because I asked the question and the answer just popped in my head because I don't move as quick as I used to. So I need to.

Like you say, I got. I might have to add an extra day just to make sure that.

But then you're, you know, being real.

Yeah, this is true. Oh, here's an interesting one, because we talk about active listening more. More than one episode, for sure, but listen more than you speak.

Yes. That is a learned skill for sure, because I know I like to hear myself talk. But, you know, after a while, you do realize that.

Okay, yeah, you spouting out words is one thing, but listening to what other people say and helping or assisting or taking action, that's a lot more powerful.

I just. I always take the opinion because I don't. I don't like these people we. We run into as we kind of travel around this planet.

We don't know what their histories, their backgrounds are, and some of them have fascinating histories and backgrounds that if you just kind of ask the questions, before you know it, you. And you're listening. You did this and you did that, and you're. And it's not about me at this point.

It's about me just listening and learning something from it.

Yeah. If you can.

It's the thing is that if you're willing to listen, because sometimes people do have a lot of really great things to say, you just have to be ready to receive them.

Time passes, even if you don't make the most of it.

Fact, it goes by fast, too fast.

Finding that out more and more Every day. And I'm finally at the stage because I'm. I and I, I really don't like the word retired.

I know you don't. It doesn't mean you're giving up. It just means you've done your time and done it well.

I know, but there should be another, I don't know, way to express that. Stay tuned. I'll come up with that.

You're a semi pro career person. Yeah.

This guy knows what he's talking about. He's been a part time professional. I don't know. Do what you're afraid to do.

Easier said than done, for sure. Otherwise you would have done it. But that fear, you know, whether it's justified or not, it, it, it's debilitating sometimes.

Have anybody ever said to you, I dare you to do A, B and C. I dare you?

Oh, yeah, yeah, that one. That's why I have no hair to this day.

When my wife and I first started dating just 30 years ago, you know, we were, we went out drinking one night and I'm like, like, man, you know, my brother had shaved his head and I'm like, I think I want to shave my head. And she looked at me square in the eyes and she said, I dare you. So we went right back to the hotel.

I grabbed a pair of scissors and I started cutting my hair off. She dared me.

Obviously you weren't afraid to do that.

No, I wanted to, I just. You wanted that, that nudge.

But I dare you. I dare you.

Have you ever had that in your line of work? Because you see that on the, the news sometimes where people just, they have a death wish, right.

And then sometimes that, that's what they want to do. And there you see them like, shoot me. Sh. Like I dare you or whatever. Have you ever had any of that?

Yeah, thank God I didn't have to deal with it. Commonly referred to as suicide by cop, but.

Okay.

Yeah. It's just. That's not a happy place for anybody to be. No.

God, no. It's situational. They probably really don't meet it on the full scope of their life. It's just.

Yeah, it's sad. It is sad. Getting back to where we were, the thing is, and we talk about it 100 times. Be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

That's as simple as it get. And that's great advice.

And you can.

If you can. Yeah, for sure.

And if you.

But if you can stick to that, to your point, you will come out further ahead because you had the willpower or ability to Push through and you would have learned things. And then you're going to keep applying those things to yourself as you go along.

And it just, you know, adds different skills and abilities to your toolbox.

So this last one I really love. Okay. It says your values aren't real until your actions reflect them.

Ooh. Because otherwise they're just ideologies. Yeah.

It's not about talking to talk. It's about walking the talk at that point.

Yeah, absolutely.

Yeah. And until you do that, also say you have no street cred. Sure.

Yeah. You're. You're a theorist. You have them in theory, but are they practical?

So you think about all this, like. And I. I'm pretty comfortable in saying it's all been great advice and.

And it's going to resonate with someone that's going to listen to this episode jump all over. And like I said before, don't wait for the starter pistol.

Push yourself.

No. Oh, a false start's okay. You're still a start. So in any event, that music is telling us that this episode's come to an end.

It's always giving us that advice.

I don't know if I like that advice, but what I want to do with this, with this episode is. And as you can probably tell, I might refer to Timber Gross songs now and again. He. He gives a.

And I said it my son Josh, too long ago just to remind him, but he's got a song called Humble and Kind, and I just. I sent it to him probably about. I think it was last month.

I said, I just want you to listen to this song and remember this as you carry on in your life. It's very important. So I'm just going to share some of the lyrics with that.

Hold the door, say please say thank you don't steal, don't cheat and don't lie I know you got mountains to climb but always stay humble and kind. When the dreams you're dreaming come to you.

When the work you put in is realized let yourself feel the pride. But always stay humble and kind.

I love that. Love that.

And it's so true. And it's such a great thing to share with your kids.

And it makes it easy when you listen to the song because that's what your expectation is as a parent, to give to your kids. And. And if that hits home with them, then that's perfect as far as I'm concerned.

And it is the basic of advice, you know, be kind, be in person. It's not that hard.

Thanks again for joining me Maddog.

Thanks, TC Appreciate it.

As always, remember to take advantage of the moment before the moment takes advantage of you. To learn more about e walkabout, please visit us at e walkabout.ca.

Nice!