Pete the Cat Gives the Best Advice

Forget about gurus and bloggers. The best advice out there comes from a cartoon cat.

Pete the Cat has giant yellow eyes and blue or black fur, depending on the light. He has a mom and a brother and is friends with a bunch of dogs, frogs and other animals. He stars in a whole series of books that were almost certainly written for kids under the age of seven.

The books are short and silly with colorful pictures. They feature wacky characters and simple plot lines.

But every time I read one, I find myself thinking, “Wow. That was really powerful.”

Pete the Cat was created by author/illustrator James Dean in 2008. Pete’s target demographic is certainly not the mid-30s professional. But the advice he gives in the books is better than 99% of the advice I read on the internet.

Did you ever notice that the internet home to an overwhelming amount of advice from people who are just grinding out content in the hopes that there are people desperate enough to read it? Diet advice, exercise advice, writing advice, relationship advice, skin-care advice.

The problem with all of these advice spinners is that they need you to come back for more advice, or else they’ve put themselves out of a job. That’s why most of the articles you read about ‘How to be a better X’ will leave you unsatisfied or deflated. Which makes you feel like you need more advice about how to not feel unsatisfied or deflated.

Not Pete the Cat though. He can give you a little backstory, some cute illustrations, end with a truth bomb and let you go on with your day feeling empowered and ready to tackle anything.

Here are three examples.

1. Too Cool for School

In this book, Pete is wondering what to wear to school. He asks everyone what they think he should wear. He takes suggestions from his mom, his dad, his brother, his friends and even a grumpy toad. Each time he asks someone what they think he should wear, he takes their advice and puts on those clothes.

By the end of the book, he is uncomfortable and looks ridiculous in cowboy boots, swimming trunks, a baseball hat and more.

Pete realizes that he should just pick out his own clothes to be happy. He switches to his favorite outfit: sunglasses, jeans, and a t-shirt with cool red Chuck Taylors.

Pete’s Advice: You’re way cooler when you’re true to yourself than when you’re trying to make other people happy.

2. Pete at the Beach

Pete goes to the beach with his mom and his cool brother Bob. He plays around on shore, getting hotter and hotter. While Bob spends the day out surfing, Pete stays dry on the beach, playing in the sand and finding crabs. Pete sees how wet and cool his brother is, but he still doesn’t go in the water.

Pete experiences a personal turning point though, when Bob wants to teach him how to surf. Instead of saying, “Maybe later,” Pete says: “Let’s do it!”

Bob shows Pete how to surf and they have an awesome time riding the waves together.

Pete’s Advice: Don’t let fear hold you back from trying new things. Don’t say “Maybe later” to opportunities. Instead, be brave and take action. Say “Let’s do it” instead.

3. Pete and the Bad Banana

Pete loves bananas. He loves how they taste and how fun they are to peel. He eats them a lot — breakfast, lunch or dinner. Until he has a bad experience with a mushy, gross banana. It makes him feel sick and he vows to never eat another banana again.

Pete’s mom tries to help him love bananas again by making banana bread, serving him a banana split and a banana cream pie. No luck. Pete is determined.

He tries to find a replacement for his favorite food. But he just can’t find anything as yummy and wonderful as a banana. He tries pickles, oranges, hot dogs and rice, but none of them bring him the same joy as a banana.

When Pete gets ready to run in a big race, he knows he needs some energy to help him perform well. After considering his options, he sees his friend Greg the Monkey eating bananas. Pete asks him for one. Pete eats the banana and remembers how much he loves them. Then he wins the race!

Pete’s Advice: Don’t let one bad experience ruin something you love. Yes, you might get a bad banana once in a while, but the overwhelming majority of bananas are good.

You won’t find any of these books a Self-Help reading lists or a Pinterest board about finding your true path. But they’ll point your life in the right direction far quicker than any 250 page tome about washing your face or not apologizing anymore. And at a couple bucks apiece, you can buy as many as you want without breaking the bank!

No, Pete the Cat books won’t make you look smart on the subway — but remember: You’re way cooler when you’re true to yourself anyway, so who cares!