Grandfather’s advices

I used to spend a lot of time with my grandparents in my childhood. My grandmother used to spoil me, played with me all the time and used to grant me every wish, while my grandfather used to talk to me a lot. These talks left a big influence on me. 

Be moderate in everything

He reached the age of 90, and he used to say that key to longevity is to be moderate in everything. A lot of anything is not good. A lot of work. A lot of food. A lot of alcohol. He used to bring up an example of a guy who ate half a jar of honey all at once – and then died! “You see, grandson, it’s not good to exaggerate even with the healthiest stuff on earth!”, he used to say.

Don’t underestimate younger people

You should never underestimate younger people or your subordinates. He used to mention that when he was an intern he used to do some work better then juniors, and then, later in life, he also learned a lot from younger people in the company. 

School is your key to better life

He came from a poor family with 4 brothers and a single mother (great-grandfather died in WWI), and being the youngest he was the only one who attended elementary school and then craft school where he became locksmith. He knew that he must not give up, since that was his only way out of poverty. I remembered those words and made sure to never stop learning.