Is this advice supportive or critical?
Discussion
Someone I knew was recently advising me about my study skills and future career ambitions.
They said: 'I'm glad I could help. But now you have established some career goals focus on them. Don't think you might make them. You could still be a lecturer and a politician in one life - we all know we need good MPs.'
I struggle to interpret messages like this in any instance, but I am especially confused by the 'Don't think you might make them' bit. Are they being supportive or critical here? Do you think that they are a friend and that what they are saying is supportive or is this part critical?
They said: 'I'm glad I could help. But now you have established some career goals focus on them. Don't think you might make them. You could still be a lecturer and a politician in one life - we all know we need good MPs.'
I struggle to interpret messages like this in any instance, but I am especially confused by the 'Don't think you might make them' bit. Are they being supportive or critical here? Do you think that they are a friend and that what they are saying is supportive or is this part critical?
I thinks as someone mentioned before, you should keep all of these questions on the thread you started for the purpose.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
This post is both supportive and critical.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
This post is both supportive and critical.
Tomm98 said:
Someone I knew was recently advising me about my study skills and future career ambitions.
They said: 'I'm glad I could help. But now you have established some career goals focus on them. Don't think you might make them. You could still be a lecturer and a politician in one life - we all know we need good MPs.'
I struggle to interpret messages like this in any instance, but I am especially confused by the 'Don't think you might make them' bit. Are they being supportive or critical here? Do you think that they are a friend and that what they are saying is supportive or is this part critical?
"Don't think you might make them." They said: 'I'm glad I could help. But now you have established some career goals focus on them. Don't think you might make them. You could still be a lecturer and a politician in one life - we all know we need good MPs.'
I struggle to interpret messages like this in any instance, but I am especially confused by the 'Don't think you might make them' bit. Are they being supportive or critical here? Do you think that they are a friend and that what they are saying is supportive or is this part critical?
If you don't understand something it is perfectly reasonable in most situations to ask, 'What do you mean by ...' In this case, I do not see it as critical, but it is rather poorly worded and somewhat unclear.
The 'don't think' is not what he is thinking, it seems to be a reminder to you, 'not to assume'.
He is reminding you that he cannot know if you will do the thing. Do not assume that something is achievable just because you want it. You do not know if you can or will do it. You may have the skills, you may not. You may have the will, you may not, You may change your mind. These are things he cannot know.
The following part is a joke at the expense of politicians, so unless you have a genuine desire to be one it was not at your expense.
In general it is better to assume a simple mistake than malice when someone is helping you.
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