Ask Your Father

So I mentioned yesterday that I had sat down and made a list of things I was thinking of doing.  Last night I ran part of it through the ultimate test:  my father.

One should hold their father's opinion in high regard.  In my case, I especially should hold my father's opinion in high regard since he seems to have been right about virtually everything that I have asked his advice on, especially the things that I asked his advice on and then did exactly the opposite.

It was my father that asked me hard questions about The Firm - questions that I should have listened to and pondered instead of plowing through and thinking that hope was a better answer than facts.  It was my father that, after the debacle had occurred, calmly watched me try to rebuild my situation without a hint of "I told you so".

So it was with interest that I listened as as mentioned some of the things that I was thinking about.  In the one case- that of advanced degree - he did not specifically say "Do not do that" but he hesitated from saying anything at all.  For another - that of a practical skill that I would probably enjoy - he evinced much more enthusiasm.

The decision is ultimately my own of course, but what (hopefully) 9 years of painful rebuilding has taught me is that it is not enough merely to consult myself, listen to my own carefully crafted logic, and then move forward.   It is better to seek the advice of those who have more experience, even if just to bounce the idea off of them for their perspective.

Or more simply, ask your father.