I've received lots of advice in my life, as I'm sure have you. Most of it has been useless, but three particular bits of advice that were originally given in specific situations stick with me today. I think they're useful in broader situations than their original applications – see if you agree.

Wise Eyes

1. "Look where you're driving, and drive where you're looking." - crazy old driving instructor, c. 1999

It's fairly self-explanatory in the car, right? But in life, it's important to be aware where you're headed, and head in a direction that you've made a conscious decision to take. This doesn't mean you can't make sudden turns on occasion, or even stop for a snack (either a literal or figurative snack), but it helps to have at least a little bit of a plan.

2. "If you've got to be somewhere on time, leave early." - guitar instructor, c. 2000

During my yearlong attempt to learn jazz guitar (result: mostly failure), my very wise and respected instructor would occasionally say this when trying to get me to make chord changes more quickly. It works. Being the son parents who are habitually late, too, I occasionally tell myself this advice when I have, say, a 2 p.m. appointment that's 15 minutes away. The old me might have left at 1:45, but the new me will allow at least an additional 30 seconds for traffic.

3. "Don't screw up, and if you screw up, screw it." - Steve Slater, my drummer, c. 2008

Right before a Farewell Typewriter show last year, Steve issued this directive in a backstage band huddle. It's a beautiful encapsulation of our band ethos, which is that we should strive for perfection but never be disappointed when we don't achieve it. I think one of our strengths as a band is our ability to blow through sets without getting derailed by things like missed notes, broken strings, dropped sticks, etc. (Another strength: our collective washboard abs.) In more of a general sense, this is the equivalent of the "hope for the best, be prepared for the worst" platitude you might have heard from your mother or something, except it has the word "screw" in it.