Visualize this : You are solving a sudoku puzzle while travelling in a bus. The person next to you peeps into your puzzle and tells you," Why haven't you filled the the top right box. That's a certain 7." Much to your chagrin, you force a smile and mutter,"Gee thanks."
How often has this happened to you in other spheres of life ?! I speak for myself and I would say ALWAYS. As kids, your folks tell you to go easy on those chocolates and eat lots of spinach like Popeye. Fine. Maybe they have a point. ( I ate lots of chocolates and Spinach as I loved chocolates and spinach )
Your student days and everyday you get advice. Study well. Take Science with computers. Join the Brilliant Tutorial classes and crack IITJEE. Work for two years and drop a year for CAT. Get into IIMA and join Mckinsey. If you happen to be a commerce student - Get good grades and join SRCC. Did you read the news about that boy getting a 32 lakh package ?!! Beta... you can do it. You must do C.A. Look at Sharma uncle's son. He's with E&Y !! Well, neither did I go to SRCC ( Joined Madras Christian College and mighty proud to be an MCCian ) nor did I do C.A.
When I was 16 or 17, I decided to join a Gym. Those toned muscles got you girlfriends you see !! First day, one of the well built guys working out tells me what to do. So I did 3 sets of benchpress - Flat, inclined and reclined followed by 100 sit ups and 20 pushups and finally some dumbbells for my biceps and triceps ( yeah that twisted rod!!). Those were the last days of gym. The good ol' jog, pushups and crunches work just fine for me.
Ever noticed a group of women shopping. Nahi yaar !! Don't buy that top. Your bust won't be accentuated. Go for that black top. Won't make you look fat. How can you go for such hideous yellow belles ?! Stick to that indigo. So all your hopes of buying that nice looking top go for a tossed salad.
I played a lot of Cricket in my school days; the opening bowler of my school team (with all due modesty). My first game, I bowl three good balls, get the batsmen out on the fourth ball of a no-ball. Next ball he smacks me for a four through covers. Gah !! the whole team including skipper comes and tells me to go around the wicket and bowl an inswinging yorker wide of the crease ( people familiar with cricket - imagine a left armer (me) bowling such a line to a southpaw ). I told him to buzz off !! Next ball, a slower half volley and he gets a leading edge that lands short of the fielder at Cover point.
My point here is everyone gives you advice... however, do you really need it ?!
For me, I'm a selective guy. Keep my options open and go ahead with what my instinct tells me.
To quote the great Oscar Wilde -Advice is like mushroom... the wrong ones can be fatal
