BY DANIEL MULLOY | CAO and Executive Director , ARTA

“ To accept good advice is but to increase one ’ s own ability .”

~ Johann Wolfgang Goethe

Throughout one ’ s life , there are people who , regardless of the situation or whether or not it is sought , give you advice . Think about all the advice that you have received ( whether good or bad ) and how it has impacted your life . I know the first piece of advice that I remember receiving dramatically changed my life forever . It was , " Don ’ t put that there !" It was given to me by my mother and referred to the blue Crayola crayon that was on its way up my nose .

Advice is something that can be taken or ignored , acted upon or rejected , received graciously or taken begrudgingly . Good advice , however , as rarely as it seems to come , must be valued , enjoyed and , most especially , appreciated .

During my time with the Alberta Retired Teachers ’ Association I have been blessed to have received good advice ; in fact , in one way or another , we have all benefitted from good , sound advice from our trusted Board , committees , partners and members . While not always easily taken , the advice we have received has shaped our association and has also helped to shape me as a person .

The thing about good advice is that one has to actually develop a skill to accept it , interpret it and act on it . You also have to learn the difference between good advice and that which is not . Such a skill is not easily achieved but when it is used in the right way , it pays huge dividends . I have benefitted from being involved with our association ' s legacy of people who have both taken and applied good advice . Sound decisions made by accepting the right advice at the right time has made us a strong association , built on that strong foundation of solid advice .

From our executive and committee members , from our partners in health benefits , from our excellent legal advisors , we get good advice — advice that allows us to continue to provide the best retiree benefits plan , a variety of services to retirees and a forum for retirees ’ voices to be heard . The good advice we receive increases our ability to provide for our members .

Thank you all for your good advice .

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