A life of success and balance is something that can be challenging to achieve. In this article taken based on the New York Times, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Ruth Bader Ginsburg shares Seven Pieces of Advice for Living that would definitely help one achieve success and live a balanced life.
1. Be Independent.
Ginsburg, who was lovingly raised by her mother, says she was constantly counseled by the latter to be independent. She credits her mother who always encouraged her to be able to take care of herself whatever the circumstance may be.
2. Choose the Right Words.
While studying at Cornell University, Ginsburg came across Vladimir Nabokov, her professor in European literature who taught her to choose the right words. Nabokov changed the way she read and write, and instilled in her the value of words and how much meaning every word conveys.
3. Be Mentored by Great Teachers that Encourage You.
In Ginsburg’s piece of Advice for Living, she credits great teachers who encouraged her and have influenced her greatly. Firstly, her mother who encouraged her to have a love for reading books. Secondly, her European literature Professor Nabokov who changed the way she read and write. And lastly, her Columbia Law School Professor Gerald Gunther who was determined to place her in federal court clerkship.
4. Tune Out When You Need To.
One advice Ginsburg has lived up to is to sometimes “turn a deaf ear”. She credits her mother-in-law for this piece of advice. An advice that was given to her on her wedding that she still applies even at her work. She says it’s best to tune out when unkind words are spoken rather than reacting tactlessly or in anger.
5. Find a Way to Manage Your Children.
Ginsburg was also fortunate to have an encouraging father-in-law. She was expecting a child before attending law school and hesitated to continue her plan. Thanks to her father-in-law’s advice and encouragement, she found a way to manage her then infant daughter. She would have a nanny from 8 am until 4 pm to watch over her daughter during her classes, and then she would care for her from 4 pm until her then baby would sleep, and she would hit the books to study law.
6. Be with a Partner Who Can Be Your Complement.
Balancing family life and a successful career are much easier with the right partner. Ginsburg understands this well and shared how being with her husband Martin helped balance her life and still have a great career. When taking care of the home, Ginsburg and her husband Martin have their own domains. Ginsburg, being a poor cook, was helped by her husband in the kitchen. It was also her husband who was her coach at the birth of their son, her first critic of everything and was always on her side even during bouts of illness. She even acknowledges that she wouldn’t have gained a seat at the Supreme Court had it not been with the support of her husband.
7. Give Genuine Respect Despite Differences.
Holding her current post, Ginsburg says, is “the best and most consuming job any lawyer could ever have”. She would encounter strong disagreements and cardinal issues with her colleagues. However, at the end of the day, she says they still have genuine respect for each other.
