The best advice I have ever received. Seriously.
I've probably posted this before, but it is worth posting again. I probably recall this situation once a week when trying to make a decision.
When I was about 10 years old, I was at an outdoor party at my uncle's house. Many of the adults were drinking heavily.
One guy was sitting in a chair, obviously in his cups, highly intoxicated. He motioned to me...c'mere kid. I walked up to him, and he told me to take a seat on his lap because he had something important to tell me. I looked up at my uncle, and he nodded his head implying "go ahead, it's ok".
I sat down on the guy's lap, and he got real serious. His rap went something like this:
Now kid, I'm going to give you some advice. I want you to remember this your whole life. He's slurring his words while he is talking.
OK, I replied.
Kid, someday you're going to be on an airplane. You're going to be sitting next to a guy who is really well dressed, and he is going to start talking to you. After the conversation is flowing for awhile, he's going to bet you $10,000 that he can pull a pre-made 20 gallon martini out of his right ear.
You're going to roll your eyes and tell him he is full of shit. He will insist he can pull a 20 gallon pre-made martini out of his year. You'll ask him questions like "Wait, you mean you will do that right here, right now"? He will say yes. And then you will say something like "Wait, you mean an actual, real martini drink, in a glass, a real one, and there will be 20 gallons on booze in the glass, and you will pull it directly out of your ear, right"?
And he'll say "Yup".
And then you'll say "I get $10,000 if you can't do it, right"?
And he'll say "yup".
And I'm here to tell you something kid (he stares at me and points his finger in my face), don't take that bet kid.
Me: Why?
His response:
BECAUSE HE'LL FUCKING DO IT, THAT'S WHY, KID!