Don’t always trust the people around you.

It could be your worst mistake.

Back when I was a fresh graduate from Columbia University, I used to listen to everyone’s advice and try to implement them - even when the advice given was contradictory!

In my mind then, I thought: I have no work experience. I know nothing. I need to listen to my betters!

But as it turns out, my elders don't necessarily mean my betters.

What’s best for one person doesn’t always make it the best for me.

Because everyone has their own set of values, interests and goals - this difference in priorities means that you will live your life in very different ways.

The sacrifices you make will differ too!

This lesson - that I need to take everyone’s advice with a grain of salt - took me years to learn, but it has made all the difference.

I learned after my 7 years at BlackRock that my values didn’t align with living an outwardly ‘prestigious’ and luxurious life; it was to follow my passions and work on something that feels meaningful.

Today, that means helping people make critical career pivots as a career coach.

And as an added bonus: Make far more than I could have made in a corporate career while having the flexibility to raise my child and do what I love!

But how exactly do you determine what advice to take & what to discard?

Here’s what I’d do:

1️⃣ Understand the context
Look at the person who’s giving the advice - who are they? Where do they come from? What have they achieved? Do I want to attain the same achievements?

Someone who aspires to become a C-suite executive will give very different advice to those who want to pivot into a career that prioritises a healthy work-life balance.

So you need to know who the person is first, and understand the circumstances that led to their particular set of experiences.

2️⃣ Clarify your own ‘success’
Understanding yourself is as important as understanding the person giving the advice.

Gain clarity on what ‘success’ looks like to you. Is it having a career that:

🌟 Lets you be home by 5pm every day for your children?
🌟 Gives you the freedom to contribute to society?
🌟 Gives you maximum growth opportunities and the chance to climb to the very top?

Don’t look at what others have and decide that their success is what you want.

Be honest with yourself.

Understand what truly matters to you, then speak to people who were/are in circumstances closest to you.

That kind of advice will likely go the furthest for you.

And if you’d like to gain more clarity on taking the next big career steps/pivots, feel free to contact me SUCCESS too!

I’ve worked with many clients from DBS, BlackRock and Google as a career coach and would love to share what I know.