If you asked me to picture every lecture my dad gave me, stack it into an About page, and read it aloud in his voice—I'd have rolled my eyes at first, but it would go something like this…

“Question and think.”

If anyone tells you something, never fully believe them. And that includes me!

Always take it with a grain of salt—no matter who it is.

Go double-check it for yourself.

And if their view, opinion, or piece of information catches your attention or your interest, don’t be afraid to follow it like a lead.

Like a detective.

Go read.

Study the problem.

And ask questions.

What if it’s the other way round?

Find the other side of the story because—I guarantee you—there is another side of the story, if only you dig deeper.

People can’t be bothered to dig deeper nowadays because they like it easy.

Don’t be afraid of difficult—it’ll only take a bit more of your time, but you’ll finally find the solution.

You have to be willing to try and put some effort and thought into things, because that’s how you grow.

And it’s your responsibility as a human being to question things—to read, learn, discover, and grow.

Not because they tell you to do so at school. School doesn’t teach you to think. School isn’t the same as it used to be, anyway.

Be your own school.

Make sure you know things for yourself, so people come and learn from you.
Don’t follow blindly.

Don’t do things just because someone’s telling you they’re supposed to be done that way. When you do something, find out how it truly works and why.

Don’t be a slave to the world around you. You gotta know your things to be someone in this life—not a mutton.

Don’t be like a damn mutton, following the herd. Just because there’s grass growing over there doesn’t mean you have to go over there. Don’t follow any trends blindly. In the world of muttons, you be a shepherd.

And why the hell would you care about what others think about you?

When you’re my age, others might not be there for you. You have to be able to rely on yourself and the things you know—because you’ve tested and learned them yourself.

Stay smart.