The Worst Life Advice Successful People Ignore

There’s a lot of life advice out there. Unfortunately, “best life advice” blogs and articles usually lead people astray. Most of them are anecdotal nonsense that promise untold wealth, a better sex life, success at work, instant results and other ideals that nobody can guarantee.  

The most successful people ignore that kind of life advice. We should know: we’re coaches who talk to executives, entrepreneurs, leaders, visionaries and innovators every single day.

The following are the top 10 worst pieces of life advice that successful people ignore in order to live joyful, fulfilling and exhilarating lives. 

1. “I should always be right”

When people look at successful entrepreneurs, executives and politicians, they think of words like uncompromising, ruthless, relentless and ambitious. While the most successful people are ambitious and relentless, they don’t become successful by being uncompromising or ruthless.

Instead, successful people know something most people don’t: that the greatest successes come from letting go of what doesn’t matter, and choosing to have harmonious relationships instead of always being right.

2. “I need a perfect work-life balance”

Successful people don’t strive for balance. Rather than focusing on the concept of achieving a perfect work-life balance, it’s okay to unabashedly lean into the things that bring you joy. Open yourself up to the possibility that you can do many things, and do them well. 

3. “I should always be on my guard”

The top executives don’t keep their guard up. They understand that life is most rewarding and exciting opportunities come from being open, forward and present. This goes for other people, too. Instead of assuming everyone is out to get you, assuming people are generous, thoughtful and kind allows you to have more meaningful relationships with others. 

4. “Risk should be avoided at all costs”

Without risk, there’s no reward. Go out on a limb, try that new idea, pilot your business idea and look for ways to involve a healthy amount of risk in your life. You only live once, right?

5. “Journaling is just for kids”

You may have kept a diary as a kid to help you process the day’s events. In adulthood, journaling is an easy and effective way of planning out your dreams, challenging your deepest fears and living up to who you know you can be. 

6. “Coaching is for the weak-minded”

You wouldn’t judge someone who wanted to get better at glass blowing for signing up for a glass blowing class. So why would you judge someone who wanted to live better by signing up for coaching?

Coaching is the best way to test your ideas, explore your goals and work toward the things that make you happy. Don’t knock it until you try it… unless you want to ignore the advice of countless successful people who swear by coaching. 

7. “If I can’t have exactly what I want, it isn’t worth it”

Rigid constraints and limitations are for computer programs, not people. We’re simply not wired to pursue narrow, self-sabotaging ideals and goals. Even if you’re struggling to achieve the dream you thought you wanted, there are endless ways to have the essence of what you desire. Don’t focus on the one thing that you can’t have. Think about all the similar and equally fulfilling things you can have instead.

8. “Goals are the goal”

Goals aren’t the goal. The goal is to be happy, emotionally sound, satisfied and at peace. Remember that and you’ll achieve your other, more tangible goals along the way.  

9. “If I want it done right, I should do it myself”

You can get far off of your own efforts, but once a roadblock hits, growth is stunted. Why? Because you can’t do everything yourself. The world runs on billions of people working hard to execute plans and achieve dreams, and it doesn’t work when one person takes on an inordinate amount of responsibility and refuses to delegate tasks. 

Trust the people around you. Ask for help from your colleagues, subordinates, partners, family and friends. Instead of doing everything yourself, try playing the “no” game: ask for favors until someone actually says no to you. You might be surprised at how many doors open the moment you realize you don’t have to open them all by yourself. 

10. “Freedom is having a lot of money”

Freedom is not how much money you have in your bank account. Freedom is experiencing peace. Freedom is being the master of your emotional state. Freedom is changing your frame of mind. Freedom is happiness.