Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it.
~ Andre Gide (1869-1951)
Yesterday we talked about the abundance of advice available, especially at this time of year. Experts and gurus are prolific sources of this “noise“. So what’s the difference? In my mind, an expert is someone with above average knowledge about something, whereas a guru is someone who is perceived by many to have a higher, usually more inspired knowledge. For me a guru is an expert with charisma, and they may or may not possess the skills to back up their reputation. Gurus and experts can both be helpful, but like any other source of information, caution is warranted.
Many experts and gurus have only the best intentions. They want to help people solve problems. But there are those who are more interested in personal gain. Most provide information that is accurate, but some prey on the emotions of people who are desperate for help or less knowledgeable on a subject than they are. Here are a few guidelines that I use when dealing with experts:
- Beware of Gurus That Ask for Something: In general, gurus are supposed to be offering something to you. Alarm bells should ring the moment they ask for money that is out of line with whatever they are offering you. Yes, of course its OK to buy their book or pay for a course if you really think it will be useful. But if they ask you to do or pay something that doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.
- Look for Consistency: The best experts and gurus offer consistent advice that works. Nothing speaks louder than proven success.
- Beware of Those Who Deal in Absolutes: As the quote above implies, people who claim to have all the answers are not to be trusted. No one has all the answers, and there are usually many ways to accomplish any goal. When someone tells you that their way is the only way, you need to look the other way.
- Experts Can Be Wrong: Whether intentionally or not, the experts can and do get it wrong sometimes. Many financial and economic experts failed to see last year’s financial calamity coming. Those who say no one saw it coming just weren’t listening.
I like to listen to what everyone has to say and then choose the path that I think is right for me. Sometimes I get it right. Sometimes I don’t. Usually I learn something valuable from those mistakes. Then I go about gathering information and try again.
Do you have a group of gurus or experts that you trust to tell you the truth and provide useful information?
My boss is pretty good with helping me figure out things. She’s a little older, so I always go to her for advice!
I was actually thinking more about famous people, so you bring up a really good point. A mentor you can actually talk to on a regular basis is probably even better than an author or T.V. personality to whom you have no real access. Thanks for your input!
I tried the expert route… it wasn’t so educated. I’ve followed the gurus… they often go on windy paths. Take a look at those with consistent “success” and ask, listen, watch… then do.
Good advice. Thanks!
[...] can try all day to be what everyone else thinks you should be. You can follow the advice of all the gurus out there. But you probably won’t feel happy and you probably won’t be successful until [...]