There are three types of authors of content: Those who have never done it, those who have done it and failed, and those who have done it and succeeded. Note: My use of the word author includes both written and spoken communication.
1. Authors who have never done what they’re writing (or talking) about. Newspaper, magazine and television writers and reporters rarely have done what they’re writing or talking about - their information comes from hearsay and as an “outsider looking in.”
Many attorneys and professors often give advice on subjects they’ve never done. The
majority of the books at the book store are from authors who have never done what
they’re writing about. They can write (or speak) about what they have not succeeded at
doing it.
Their advice is rarely sound because it’s based on invention, another person’s opinion, or hearsay. This problem is compounded when an author simply repeats something they heard from the media. Now there are two layers of people who can’t do what it is they are writing about, but think they know something about it. Authors who have never done what it is they are writing about, or who have never succeeded at it, cannot possibly place the correct importance on the subject! You can always identify authors who have never done it because their content is slightly off the main subject.
As an example, I read a web article claiming that MLM (Multi Level Marketing) success was mathematically impossible. Huh? That’s like claiming that it is scientifically impossible for a bumblebee to fly. Has it ever occurred to that author to just LOOK? The oldest MLM company is still growing!
2. Authors who have failed at what they’re writing (or talking) about.
When someone has failed at what they write or talk about, it is common for them to be critical of (inclined to find fault with) the subject and those who do it . Why? Because something about the subject is a complete mystery to them and they feel inadequate. They obviously couldn’t figure out some part of it -otherwise they wouldn’t have
failed!
Take, for example, a person who wanted to be a real estate investor but failed at it. He will project his negative experience onto whatever he writes or says about the business. He’ll typically write about “what’s hard,” “wrong,” or “dangerous” about real estate. Why? Because he never figured it out and someone who succeeds at it proves his inadequacy on the subject of real estate. His worse nightmare is people succeeding at real estate investing. His negativity may focus on the aspect of real estate investing that caused him to fail; but more than likely he doesn’t know why he failed, so he tries to make EVERYTHING about real estate wrong - including anyone who does real estate. This can be extremely broad - a person who has failed at playing football can try to prevent their children from playing ANY sport.
Warning! on every subject there are more people that fail at it than people who succeed, so you may find much more negative information about your subject than positive information.
Do not take advice from authors who have failed at what they write (or talk)about - they are resentful and do not want you to succeed where they failed. Others’ success only proves their inadequacy. They may claim that they “only want to protect you,” but in reality, they only want to protect themselves from a sense of failure by preventing you from trying and succeeding.
3. Authors who have succeeded at what they write (or talk) about.
If an author has succeeded at what they are writing (or talking) about, they are a valuable asset to you and their advice is worthwhile. They know what is important and what is not important about the subject.
Please note that there is a vast difference between someone who has been successful at their subject and someone who has merely been “educated” about it. Just because a person has studied a subject, doesn’t mean they can do it. A beautician can study all about hair - that doesn’t mean she can cut hair to her client’s satisfaction. A psychiatrist may have been able to listen to her teachers and may have been able to read the required text books and may have even been able to pass a state board examination on the subject - but can she fix another person’s problems? If she can’t, don’t take her advice! A student who has been educated on a subject has only proven that she can be a student successfully. She has not proven she can do the subject.
The person you should accept advice from on a subject you’re researching is the person who has gotten the results you desire. If you want to fail, take advice from someone who has failed; if you want to succeed, take the advice of those who have been successful.
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