Who Are YOU Taking Your Advice From?
August 13th, 2008 | Meeting Your Goals, Motivation | 3 Comments | Written by Fighter
So I was talking to one of my friends the other night. He started to talk about how he’s not happy with his current job and he just doesn’t know what he wants to do.
He said he knows TWO things:
1. He wants to be in business.
2. He likes cars…
“So, Why Aren’t You Working On Cars?”
Of course I oversimplified the entire problem and asked a simple question - mostly because I wanted to see his response. I mean, I get it, the guy has a very nice and comfy job with Hewlett Packard that allows him to travel the entire country on THEIR dime.
But, either way, I wanted to see what he said - he said exactly what I thought he would…
“It would be crazy for me to leave such a great job to go ‘work on cars’ - people will call me crazy!”
Let’s dissect what he said, there are two different parts to it.
1. He called it a great job (however, he just got done saying that he could never see himself doing it and that it was not challenging and boring, hmmm).
2. “People will call me crazy” - AH HA! That’s what I was waiting to hear…what PEOPLE will think.
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See, my point was that “I want to have a business in cars” is not narrow enough - what does that even mean. He needs to take some time and get hands-on time to learn just WHAT about cars he wants a business in.
This means he’ll have to do some “internships” or “jobs” in the industry and see whether he even likes it.
(This is exactly what I did when I started online, I was a financial planner, copywriter, internet marketing consultant and other things before I really figured out where my calling was).
I wasn’t saying for him to quit his job, I was saying for him to take his free time on weekends and find a way to do some work (even for free) at local car related businesses.
“And, Now Begin The Excuses…”
Here’s how I know that someone just is NOT ready; yhey start making lame excuses of “being too busy.” GIVE ME A BREAK. There is no such thing as “being too busy.”
What he’s missing is the HUSTLE - without hustle, life is not going to change.
But everything he said kept coming back to “well my parents gave me this advice…my sisters gave me this advice…my uncle gave me this advice…”
“I Remember The Days I Used To Ask Advice…”
5 years ago I was at a copywriting workshop and I got a chance to hang out with Michael Masterson, he’s one of the most world-renown copywriters. I was telling him about how I loved business and wanted to start one, but my parents were saying I couldn’t do it, I’d fail.
Here’s how the conversation went…
Michael: “Are your parents doing what you want to do 10 years from now?”
Me: No
Michael: Then why are you taking advice from them?
Me: Because they’re my parents…and even my friends say that I’m crazy…
Michael: Are your friends doing what you want to do 10 years from now?
Me: No way!
Michael: Then why are you taking advice from them?
Me: But, they just want what’s best for me…
Michael: Very true, but how can they give you advice on something they don’t know about. YOU want to be a young entrepreneur, YOU want a business - why aren’t you taking advice from other successful young entrepreneurs?
BINGO!
The moral of the story for you and for my friend today: Don’t waste your time taking advice for everyone and anyone. Any time someone gives you advice, ask yourself just one question:
“Is This Person Doing What I Want To Do 10 Years From Now?”
Thank you Michael. Since that day, I’ve had many mentors, I’ve actually out-grown a few. I no longer take advice from someone that does not know the topic better than me and/or is not living the dream I dream every night…
So, my friend, please, please, do two things:
1. Get your hustle (or else it’s a no go).
2. Start taking advice from other people…when I got started, NO ONE thought I could do it. Well, I showed them didn’t I?
Now, go forth and FIGHT!
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