Herschel Levine's advice to my generation, and what I'm taking from it
It was shortly after eleven at night in Cologne when, in the middle of our conversation, I asked Herschel Levine one question: what would you tell younger people?
Herschel is from New Haven, Connecticut. In his early twenties he helped build the company Yodle, and today he works in operations at Stevens Ventures. I expected a tip about business or careers. He talked about something else entirely.
I study business psychology and work as a freelancer for clients in the US. His answer stayed with me, so I’m going through it here, line by line.
1. Forgive mistakes, your own included
“Just remember that everybody makes mistakes, and the hardest thing to do is to forgive.”
Herschel Levine
I’ve learned this more in my private life than at work. When a past relationship ended, my first reaction was to deal with it through anger, even hate. It took me a while to see that hate doesn’t solve anything. What actually helped was forgiving. Once I did, things got a lot better, for me first of all.
What I take from it: a mistake says something about a moment, not about a person. That goes for others, and it goes for me.
2. The best feeling comes from giving
“The best feeling you get in the world is from giving.”
Herschel Levine
As a freelancer, I do a lot of work before anything comes back. But that’s business, and I don’t think it’s what Herschel means. He’s talking about giving without expecting anything in return. Honestly, that’s the line I’m still figuring out, and I’d rather say so than pretend.
3. Nothing is permanent
“Know that nothing’s permanent. All those feelings that are bad or good, they come to an end and they start over again.”
Herschel Levine
I first felt this when I finished school and suddenly stood in front of the big, wide world. What had been fixed for years was over from one day to the next. Later I backpacked through Central America on my own, and after that I travelled through the US. Every stop came to an end at some point, the good ones and the hard ones.
What I take from it: whatever moment you’re in, it won’t stay. That makes the hard phases easier to get through and the good ones worth more.
4. Stay off your phone
“I’d say, stay off your phones, but we’re all addicted.”
Herschel Levine
This one is hard for me. I’m on the laptop at university and on the laptop for work. Pretty much my only screen-free time is football training. Part of the reason is that I want to stay up to date, because AI is changing so fast right now. Still, it’s something I should work on, even if it’s hard.
5. Don’t believe everything you read
“Don’t believe everything you read.”
Herschel Levine
This line hits me at work. Every day I build websites and online profiles for people, and I see how much a search result shapes how someone is seen. What’s online about a person is never the whole person.
6. Make the day better for the people around you
“Wake up every day and say, how can I make today a better day for everybody else around me?”
Herschel Levine
For me, this starts small: a compliment, and treating every person with respect and friendliness, whoever they are.
What I’m putting into practice
Above all, forgiving. I already try to do it more often, and I want to keep at it. And “nothing’s permanent” is the line that has stayed with me the most since our conversation.
You can find more about Herschel and his story on Herschel Levine’s personal website.
Originally published .
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