What's the BEST advice you have ever received from your Advisor?

[DigDeep(inactive)]

Whether it be about research, life, or landing a job - have you ever been given such sound advice that it served as a catalyst for your success? Perhaps a bit more prosaic, is there something in particular that an advisor has told you that has helped you be a better student? 

 

The best advice I have ever received was this: During your first year as an MA student, do not shy away from the power of collaboration. Ultimately, it is not uncommon for graduate students to take a "renegade" approach, and attempt to do everything by themselves. However, by embracing your new cohort and building projects together, you can achieve so much more during your graduate studies. This is particularly true for Master's students, as they have a short window of time. Start a journal club, collaborate on poster/paper ideas for conferences, and do your best to foster a professional atmosphere of collaboration within your cohort by including as many as possible who are willing to contribute.

 

Following this advice, I was able to accomplish much during my graduate studies and through the process I have gained friends and colleagues and learned with them and from them in the process; something I have learned and will take with me for doctoral studies.

 

Hopefully contributions to this thread will be a benefit to us all. 

[Elanti]

When I asked my adviser how he remembered so many journal articles and books he responded with: "I remember to not forget, most people do not". It sounded a bit condescending at the time, but he elaborated further by saying that many undergraduates have been trained to read articles for key pieces of information and don't bother to remember the author names or the year in which they were published, but if you read to remember and read to keep it in your mind for the entirety of your career, you'll begin to approach articles differently. It stuck with me, and I've been trying to apply his contextual style to my studies. It's definitely not the most sage of advice, but my adviser in undergrad was a man of few words.

[Monochrome Spring]

Get used to criticism because you're going to get a lot of it.

[i.am.me]

^ I got a piece of similar advice...not from my advisor but from someone I admire - don't take things too personally and value precious (honest) feedback.