Must-Read: Lessons From Kareem

The saying “respect your elders” is one of the most important sayings you will ever hear. While being a kid is full of thinking like you know everything and that everyone older doesn’t know anything and they’re all just trying to ruin your fun time, actually respecting them and listening to them is one of the most important things you will ever learn. These are people that actually have experience, and that experience is something you cannot learn anywhere. So in order to learn how to live your life now, you have to be able to be humble and ask advice of those who have already been through it all.

So today we’re going to link you to this amazing piece over at GQ, where basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabaar goes through 20 things he wish that he knew when he was 30 years old as a way to offer some advice to you kids out there. For instance, among the great pieces of advice he has:

17. When breaking up with a woman, you can?t always remain friends. I have managed to stay friends with many of the women I have dated because I truly liked and respected them. But sometimes emotions run too deep and efforts to remain friends, while that might help you feel better, actually might make the other person feel worse. Take the hit and let it go.

And this sucker:

12. When choosing someone to date, compassion is better than passion. I?m not saying she shouldn?t be passionate. That?s a given. But look for signs that she shows genuine compassion toward others. That will keep you interested in her a lot longer.

So, go and read the brilliant K-A-J and get your life lessons from him.