The Good Advice

The good advice that you just didn’t take – lyrics from the 1997 Alanis Morrisette song How often have they been true in your life? How often have you not heard or not chosen to take tips and advice from different people in your lives?

It’s not a fair question because every day we have all been fed information and thoughts from well-meaning friends, autocratic bosses, teachers and members of our families. But if we did listen to everything else that was out there we wouldn’t be able to make any decisions at all – data overload.

What gives these people the right or the need to tell us what to do all the time, why should you listen to them? Obviously as children when growing up and learning we have to be taught how to cross the road or not play with electricity and knives in toasters. However I believe it is different when it comes to business or personal advice that is sent from other peoples filtered experiences, be they good or bad – why are they or why do they feel the need to share. Just because it did or didn’t work for them doesn’t mean that is what will happen for you? Hear the advice, assess it, assess it on its merits and relevance to you and then make your own decision.

Think about it, you have all the knowledge you could possibly need to make the best of ourselves, to make decisions that are difficult or just change direction – you know where it is, just ask Dr Google and you’ll find it all.

So it’s not down to a lack of information that we fluctuate from roaring success to the doldrums – what is it then? I believe it is the choices we make – to listen or not to listen – to act or not to act – to take action or accept the status quo.

How many entrepreneurs would have achieved what they have done had they waited for someone to come up with the right advice – they don’t wait, they go for it. And yes they screw up – from time to time not everything goes right and failure does happen. A lot!

The good advice that you just didn’t take – rephrase that – the choices you made and the outcomes that came as a result of those decisions, be they good or bad. So deal with it, just start making some decisions. If you do nothing, I guarantee you nothing will change.