As a kid, I went to my parents for everything. If I had a question, I went to them. And they answered it. After all, they were being asked questions by a five year old. They weren't complex questions. They were simple. And my parents knew the answers.
Over twenty years later, I find myself playing the same game. I get a bit of doubt. I ask my parents. They give me an answer. And then I go on.
But here's the problem: My parents aren't qualified to give me business advice.
They're not business people. They've never successfully built a fastlane venture. They've worked hard all their lives (which I'm incredibly grateful for), but they've never succeeded or even tried as entrepreneurs.
However, I find myself asking them for advice quite often. And I find myself taking what they say and having that affect my thought process.
But when thinking of it rationally - are my parents even qualified to give me advice?
If I didn't know them as family, then would I pay to buy them a cup of coffee and listen to what they have to say?
The answer is likely no.
Yet I find myself, my friends, and countless of people on this forum falling into the same trap: They ask their parents, aunt, uncle, siblings, husband, wife, friends, and co-workers for business advice. And they assume that the advice they get has weight. But more often than not, it doesn't. The advice is coming from someone that is not qualified to give advice.
Think about it.
It's like asking a ten year old what it's like to rob a bank. They've probably seen it done in movies. They've been in a bank. But can they really tell you what it's like? Is their advice valid?
99% of the time, the answer is no.
So why do we take advice from those close to us that aren't qualified to give it?
I assume social conditioning, but beyond that can't tell you. However, what I can tell you is one rule that has helped me tremendously:
Only take advice from people you want to become.
Don't take advice from someone on the outside. Even if they're family. Even if they're your parents. Unless they're legitimately qualified to give you advice, then take it with a grain of salt, seek real mentors, and take advice from them.
Over twenty years later, I find myself playing the same game. I get a bit of doubt. I ask my parents. They give me an answer. And then I go on.
But here's the problem: My parents aren't qualified to give me business advice.
They're not business people. They've never successfully built a fastlane venture. They've worked hard all their lives (which I'm incredibly grateful for), but they've never succeeded or even tried as entrepreneurs.
However, I find myself asking them for advice quite often. And I find myself taking what they say and having that affect my thought process.
But when thinking of it rationally - are my parents even qualified to give me advice?
If I didn't know them as family, then would I pay to buy them a cup of coffee and listen to what they have to say?
The answer is likely no.
Yet I find myself, my friends, and countless of people on this forum falling into the same trap: They ask their parents, aunt, uncle, siblings, husband, wife, friends, and co-workers for business advice. And they assume that the advice they get has weight. But more often than not, it doesn't. The advice is coming from someone that is not qualified to give advice.
Think about it.
It's like asking a ten year old what it's like to rob a bank. They've probably seen it done in movies. They've been in a bank. But can they really tell you what it's like? Is their advice valid?
99% of the time, the answer is no.
So why do we take advice from those close to us that aren't qualified to give it?
I assume social conditioning, but beyond that can't tell you. However, what I can tell you is one rule that has helped me tremendously:
Only take advice from people you want to become.
Don't take advice from someone on the outside. Even if they're family. Even if they're your parents. Unless they're legitimately qualified to give you advice, then take it with a grain of salt, seek real mentors, and take advice from them.
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