Why Most Advice Fails (And How to Finally Make It Work for You)

You know, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been handed some “golden nugget” of advice that’s supposed to change everything. You’ve probably heard it too—“follow your passion,” “wake up at 5 AM,” “just hustle harder.”

And I get it, advice is everywhere. The internet loves it. But can we just be honest for a second? Most advice is pretty useless. And not because the advice itself is bad, but because it wasn’t made for you.

Advice is like a one-size-fits-all sweater—sure, it might fit, but it’s probably itchy, uncomfortable, and just not you. The problem is, we follow advice like it’s a recipe, expecting it to work out the same way it did for the person who gave it. But we’re all working with different ingredients.

So let’s dig into why most advice fails and—more importantly—how you can make it work for you.

Why We Love Advice (Even When It Doesn’t Help)

First off, let’s talk about why we even want advice in the first place. If you’re like me, you’ve probably been there, scrolling through YouTube or Instagram, hoping that someone has the magic formula for your problem.

Why do we do that?

1. Certainty: Advice gives us a sense of control. It’s comforting to have someone say, “Here’s exactly what you need to do.” But here’s the thing: most of the time, the person giving you advice doesn’t know your life. They’re giving you their roadmap, not yours.
2. Validation: This one is big. We don’t always want advice, do we? We just want someone to confirm that what we’re already thinking is right. It’s called confirmation bias, and we’re all guilty of it.
3. Quick Fixes: I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes, I’m just looking for a quick fix. I want that one piece of advice that’ll magically solve everything. But that’s not how life works. It’s messy, and advice doesn’t come with a neat bow on top.

Why Generic Advice Fails

Here’s the real problem with advice: it’s generic. And while that might work for some people, it doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you. Advice is often built to sound good to a lot of people, but it doesn’t get specific enough to your situation.

Think about the advice you hear all the time: “Work harder,” “Follow your passion,” “Wake up at 5 AM like all successful people do.” But what if working harder leads to burnout for you? What if you don’t know what your passion is yet? And honestly, if I woke up at 5 AM every day, I’d probably just fall back asleep.

Then there’s the advice from gurus like Warren Buffett. The guy’s a genius, no doubt. But trying to follow his exact investment strategy when you don’t have his resources or experience? That’s like trying to run a marathon because someone told you they ran one once—it’s just not realistic.

The Hidden Danger of Advice: It Can Lead You Off Track

Here’s where advice can actually trip you up:

1. It Takes You Away from Your Strengths: Following someone else’s blueprint can distract you from focusing on what you do best. Maybe the advice works great for them, but it might not align with your own strengths or goals.
2. It Creates Unrealistic Expectations: Ever heard, “If it worked for them, it should work for you”? Yeah, that’s a trap. It makes you think you’re failing when really, you’re just following advice that wasn’t meant for you in the first place.
3. It Blinds You to Red Flags: Sometimes, advice sounds so good that you ignore the signs that it’s not right for you. It’s easy to get caught up in thinking, “This will definitely work,” when all the evidence suggests otherwise.

How to Filter Good Advice from Bad

So, how do you sift through the noise? How do you know which advice is actually worth following?

1. Does it fit your life?
   Ask yourself if the advice makes sense for your specific situation. Do you have the same resources, goals, or circumstances as the person giving it? If not, you might need to adjust it (or toss it entirely).
2. Does the person understand your context?
   I’ve been given some great advice—for someone else. If the advice-giver doesn’t really understand what you’re going through, their advice is a shot in the dark. Helpful? Maybe. But also, maybe not.
3. Are you just looking for validation?
   Be honest—are you looking for someone to tell you what you already believe? There’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel like you’re on the right track, but don’t confuse validation with valuable advice.
4. What’s your gut telling you?
   Your gut’s smarter than you think. If the advice feels off, it probably is. Trust yourself to know when something just isn’t right for you.

When to Ignore Advice (And Trust Yourself)

Sometimes the best thing you can do is just ignore advice altogether. I know, that sounds counterintuitive in a blog post about advice, but hear me out.

The people who make the biggest strides in life? They don’t just follow advice—they know when to trust their own instincts. They take risks that other people would shy away from. That’s the kind of thing you can’t get from following a step-by-step guide.

Here’s the deal: trust yourself enough to know when advice doesn’t apply to you. Even if it sounds great. Even if the person giving it is an expert. You know your life better than anyone else does.

Making Advice Work: The Power of Personalization

Advice isn’t all bad. In fact, it can be incredibly useful if you know how to make it work for you. The trick is personalizing it to fit your situation.

Here’s how:

1. Know your goals first: Before you take any advice, make sure you’re clear on what you want. Does the advice actually help you move toward your goals, or is it pulling you off course?
2. Adapt it to your strengths: Advice can be a great starting point, but don’t follow it to the letter. Adapt it to fit what you do best.
3. Don’t be afraid to challenge it: Just because someone’s an expert doesn’t mean their advice is perfect for you. Don’t be afraid to ask, “Does this really make sense for me?”

Why Most Advice Fails—And How to Make It Work for You

The bottom line? Most advice doesn’t work because it’s generic. It wasn’t made for you. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore all advice—it just means you need to be selective. Filter out the advice that doesn’t fit, and tailor what’s left to suit your strengths, goals, and situation.

Next time someone offers you advice, take a minute to think about it. Does it really apply to your life, or are you just hoping it will? Trust yourself enough to know when advice isn’t for you—and trust yourself enough to act on it when it is.

If you want more on this, check out the video below. I dive into even more reasons why most advice doesn’t help and what to do about it.

What’s the worst piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Drop it in the comments—I bet we’ve all heard some pretty bad ones.