Grain of Salt
When was the last time that you heard a piece of advice and thought, “I am going to remember this forever?”
I did recently in a book I was reading titled, “Uncaged” by Paul de Gelder. Paul was a Clearance Diver with the Australian Navy and on February 11, 2009 while participating in a training exercise in Sydney Harbour his life was forever changed in eight seconds when he was attacked by a bull shark. While there hadn’t been a shark attack in those waters in sixty years, Paul lost his right leg and the lower part of his right arm to the shark.
Over the course of time his career evolved to a Navy Instructor and then to television, making appearances for the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week.
Included with his personal story, which is full of practical insights and wisdom, was his experience of pitching ideas in Hollywood. In his book he said, “…I took everyone at face value. I didn’t see any benefit in them lying to me, so why wouldn’t these people just give it to me straight?” (p. 246). Remember, he was in the Navy where they talk very straight. Not so, in Hollywood. Instead, Paul shared, “Here in L.A, it’s a very different two-faced beast. Folks would pick up the lunch check and say something like: ‘Let’s do this again soon. I’ve got so many projects you’d be perfect for.’ And they’re never heard from again.” And here’s where the “I am going to remember this advice forever,” came in. Paul said, “Take everything you’re told with a huge grain of salt.” (p. 247).
This is something I think most of us can relate to. In my coaching business I have done complimentary Discovery Calls with potential clients where the call went very well and I was told, “I will get back to you,” and then, like Paul, I never hear from them again. Other times, this might come into play when needing customer service support and the business says, “I will look into this and get back to you.” Again, you never hear from them. For some reason, people are uncomfortable talking straight and the end result is that there is no further communication. While unfortunate, it just seems to be the way people are. Wouldn’t it be easier to just talk straight sometimes?
Paul’s advice has served me well. Actions speak louder than words; anyone can say anything, after all. But by taking things people say with a grain of salt we can lower the bar on expecting things of others and avoid taking things personally or getting upset at people for not following through on what they said they were going to do. Paul’s one sentence is advice I am going to remember forever.
When was the last time you took someone at face value?
Did they tell you something but didn’t follow-through?
Were you offended or were you able to lower the bar?
Recommended Resources
- English in a Minute (video 1:00) – “Take With a Grain of Salt” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mesuZnsXY0
- The Business Guy (video :42) – “Take It With a Grain of Salt – Origin and Meaning” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJbHrnLPJq8
Monthly Challenge
- Think of the last three times you were told something that you later felt you could have taken with a grain of salt. Then write down Paul’s advice from page 1 down on a piece of paper and remind yourself of it daily.