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Frustrated by information overload? I remember for a while – one The Simpsons Mr. Burns shouted his trademark “Great!” His presentation, however, when asked what he meant, clearly replied, “It’s the opposite of anything that’s ever existed.”
That’s how I feel about most of my business friends today, and I’m truly sick of my bad behavior of giving up and winning so I can find a little glimmer of gold in the junk pile.
A few discoveries I made along the way to that realization:
1. Just because someone is successful doesn’t mean they can teach others to be.
I’m not saying all business partners are bad. Some are smart and know what they are talking about, but too many just repeat what others have said without understanding the concepts themselves.
Here’s an example: Many people will tell you that you need to hire a coach to be successful in business. I’ve seen coaches say this themselves, but let’s think about it for a second: If you want to learn to swim, would it make sense for me – someone who knows nothing about swimming – to teach you? not at all!
That’s why many business owners hire coaches who have never been in their shoes before, who enjoy not knowing what they’re doing. Therefore, it may not always be a good idea to listen to Tony Robbins or other lifestyle experts when looking for advice on how to build a business.
2. Success rarely comes from following other people’s playbooks
I know that’s not what most people want to hear – we all want to find out what has worked for others and then copy it. It’s tempting to think you’ll get the same results if you do this, but here’s the problem with this approach: it doesn’t work.
We’ve all heard success stories of tweaking someone else’s formula until it works for them, but the truth is that these situations are so rare that – while they might work for great stories – they’re poor business advice. If you want to become an entrepreneur or start your own business, there are better ways to get started than to imitate what someone else has done, especially if that person is in a different industry or market.
Related: Take the road less traveled to unlock your full potential
3. The “one hit wonder” guru trap
I’m sure you’ve seen headlines like “How I Made $100,000 at 27” or “How I Fired My Boss and Started My Own Business.” These articles are all over the place, but they’re often written by people who aren’t really successful and/or want to get a short attention span before fading into obscurity. They want their 15 minutes of fame, but they have no real advice to offer.
It might not surprise you, but most of these gurus are marketers who sell courses or books that teach you how to make money. In short, they have no interest in helping you succeed as long as they can sell you something.
The truth is, most people aren’t cut out for running. their own Businesses – especially if they are just starting out and don’t have the right skills or experience yet. You can easily spend thousands of dollars on a single course only to find out that the results are of no use to you.
4. Podcast Mirages
I’m a big fan of podcasts, and my favorites include The Tim Ferriss Show And The James Altucher ShowBut there’s one podcast I don’t listen to, and I’m alone in that choice. In a high-level marketing summary and analysis of recent studies, one statistic in particular jumped out at me: Only 4% of respondents indicated that they listen to business podcasts.
why? Because most of them are boring… long, drawn out and full of nonsense about the minutiae of running a company. There’s nothing wrong with being passionate about your work, but the resulting bills will be unpleasant to anyone but the entrepreneurs themselves.
Of course there are exceptions: Noah Kagan presents It’s entertaining because Kagan talks about his personal experiences as an entrepreneur—telling stories rather than giving advice.
Related: The perfect work-life balance starts with the number
5. What happens without noise
I was a sponge for the wisdom of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs and business leaders – devouring every word in their books, blogs, podcasts and videos. I cooked dinner and listened to the interview as I ran around the block – I even listened to it while I slept! But over time, all that listening made me feel like something was missing. It’s noise, not a signal – it’s noise from people trying to sell me something or people who have a different opinion than I do. So, one day, I decided to stop listening to business experts altogether, and here’s what happened:
• I began to think more clearly about my own goals.
• My productivity has gone through the roof
• My creativity increased
6. Gurus probably don’t know much about your industry
We’ve all been there: You’re at a conference and you’re forced to listen to someone talk about how they made millions of dollars selling their product or service. You can’t think, “Wow, if I do that, I’ll be rich.”
The problem is that he or she doesn’t know anything about your industry, but instead has a one-size-fits-all answer, and that’s because these types are often generic – they’re not specific to anything. So why should you listen to them? The answer is that you probably shouldn’t.
And you know what? If it works for them, great, but it may not work for you because you are different from them (and other people). You have unique challenges and opportunities that require a unique approach you can create.
Cut your own path
After years of following the advice of the pros and trying to emulate their success, I decided there was a better way to achieve this. By creating your own model, you’re focusing on what’s most important—finding your voice, telling your story, and letting your customers know you exist. Focus on these three things, and the rest will take care of itself.
Related: How to make your own way in business
