How Much Is My Caring Worth?
These are myriad "things" that are easy for us to recognize, point to, love or hate, and, in many cases, manipulate or even create." - Daniel C. Dennett, From Bacteria to Bach and Back: the Evolution of Minds
We build archetypes without even thinking about it: you visualise your dreams, your goals, your friends, your self. You make decisions based largely on the mental models you've created with data you collected to build those archetypes.
If you're emotionally invested in the advice you've lent someone, you may take their failure worse than they do. If your knowledge is currency and you need to keep ledgers on where you spend it, then do that before spending, not after.Give without strings attached, and that includes advice.
If you love someone, let them fail. If you can't afford to clean them up after the fall, tell them. Let them know you love them but you can't afford it right now. Answer their questions honestly.
That's all you owe anyone - nothing else - including yourself. If you failed, that proves you tried.
If you love someone, let them fail. If you can't afford to clean them up after the fall, tell them. Let them know you love them but you can't afford it right now. Answer their questions honestly.
That's all you owe anyone - nothing else - including yourself. If you failed, that proves you tried.
Solicited honesty is a given with friendship. But never bomb someone with your impressions. Let them ask. And in my experience, I have never "let" anyone fail. They have always insisted on it.
ReplyDelete