The 25 Worst Pieces of Advice I've Seen

I see a lot of bad advice floating on the Internet. Not shocking, right?

I was caught in an awful snowstorm this week so I decided to pass the time compiling the worst advice.

I put them neatly in a list and explain why they are so bad. This is all based on personal experience.

If you disagree leave a comment below. I will tell you why you are wrong.

Enjoy!

1. “Follow your passion.”

Follow your passion is not rational advice.

There is no strategy or system behind it. It is just an empty platitude.

Instead of following a passion, you need to stop wasting time. Make money first then use your wealth to pursue your passion.

Build the foundation first then pursue other interests when you are financially secure.

2. “Choose career over family.”

I see so many slaving at their job and it’s usually a dead-end job.

These people work so hard at their jobs and pay little attention to their children.

It’s sad. I do not understand why they do it at all at. I assume they feel that they must.

My suggestion to you is that if you are forced to make a choice always choose family over career. 

Rich people choose both. This is another reason why you should pursue money over passion.

3. “Just walk away.”

If someone damages your reputation you need to fight hard to defend it.

Lies can quickly damage how you are perceived. Your name is your honor and it is your most valuable asset.

4. “Never trust anyone.”

Jaded people think like this. 

Yes, humans make decisions in their best interests. 

But that is not a reason to be distrustful. It is simply human nature. Understand it and deal with it.

"Never trust anyone" is a reflection of personal darkness.

5. “Stop reading books.”

I know this is hard to believe but I have seen this advice on the internet.

Reading opens the mind to new experiences, broadens your vocabulary, and strengthens the mind.

Every time you pick up a book it is a new opportunity to gain a new perspective.

6. “Kill them with kindness.”

When you are kind to someone who treats you poorly you wind up reinforcing that behavior. 

Never send mixed signals to individuals. If someone treats you poorly you need to let them know it is not ok. Or leave them.

7. “High school years will be the best ones of your life.”

I genuinely feel sorry for anyone who says this. It means their life has never been on an upward trajectory.

Life gets better as you age. At least it should be. If not you are doing something wrong.

8. “Be humble.”

Be humble has always bothered me. If you are successful you should not hide it from others.

Use your story to inspire others in a tactful manner.

Instead, we should aim to be authentic. Every human being is born unique. Embrace it.

Never aim to fit in. The wheels of human progress stop when we do this.

9. “Get good grades.”

Getting good grades is nice. But that’s it. It’s nice.

It’s not the end-all and be-all.

It’s one metric that usually shows that you are an excellent rule follower.

Grades do not dictate your life and life is dynamic outside of the classroom.

10. “Money can’t buy happiness.”

To an extent, money can bring you happiness.

The biggest benefit of having fat stacks of cash is that you will sleep well at night. 

All tension melts away. You only realize this once you get there.

11. “If you outgrow your friends leave them.”

If friends are rude or steal your energy they were never your friends, to begin with.

Leave those friends.

But you should never leave loyal friends. They are invaluable and loyalty is not a trait that can be easily replaced.

12. “Work hard and you will make more money.”

This is not true. You need to work hard AND smart.

I have seen many people who work hard. They live their lives never acquiring wealth.

Why? They do not possess the knowledge and skills needed to grow money.

13. "Have kids later in life.”

You are playing Russian roulette with your genetics when you have kids in your late 30s.

Not only do your odds of conceiving drop but the quality of your chromosomes weakens.

The only way around this is to be in incredible shape. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and lift weights.

14. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

This mentality programs people to act like a robot. Take risks when you meet people.

Who cares if they don’t like you? Stop worrying about what other people think.

15. “Keep your friends close, and keep your enemies closer.”

I love the movie The Godfather but this is bad advice.

If someone is your enemy just cut them out of your life. Move on.

Time and energy are your most important resources. Invest those assets into people that matter.

16. “Follow your heart.”

This is just an empty platitude. It doesn’t mean anything.

Take calculated risks instead. Consider all options and create a system. 

17. “You can sleep when you’re dead.”

I cringe when people are proud about how they jeopardize their health.

Your health is your most important asset. It is no joking matter.

Make sleep a priority. Sleep is an investment in your future.

18. “Keep quiet. Never tell people your goals.”

Whenever you embark on a journey of self-growth you should tell EVERYONE your goals.

This is a simple way of social proofing your life. People will then expect you to see them through.

This strategy was developed by Carl Jung and is employed by Alcoholics Anonymous.

19. “Breakfast is the most important meal.”

Most people eat sugary highly processed food for breakfast. 

This not the best way to optimize your morning. Just skip breakfast.

Drink water and black coffee.

20. “Everything happens for a reason."

The reason why it happened is that you let it happen.

That’s it. That’s the reason. “Everything happens” just a clever cope mechanism.

Instead, live life with the outlook that you have full control over your future.

21. “Watch the news.”

The news exists to make you anxious. Why? Anxious people are easy to control.

Watch the news if you want to be controlled. Personally, I have better things to do with my time.

22. “Happy wife, happy life.”

I have never seen a happy/fulfilled man utter these words.

Happy family, happy life. Seek balance.

23. “You need to go to college to be successful.”

This was sound advice 40 years ago but college is now overrated.

I teach public school. Children are brainwashed at a young age. They are being to college is the only way to succeed.

It is just not true. I know young entrepreneurs all around the world that are starting businesses.

The entrepreneurs are the future. They will be changing lives.

24. “Just stop thinking about it and it will happen.”

If you stop thinking about it you are guaranteeing it WON'T happen. 

Your thoughts manifest your reality.

25. “Drink that cup of Starbucks.”

Starbucks is garbage coffee that will keep you poor.

Small bad decisions add up and it won’t end in overpriced retail java.

Over 30 years the money you spent at Starbucks could be worth 300K (in real assets).

That’s not chump change.