We have people commenting on the best/prescient advice they have received. What was the worst advice you have ever received?
I grew up in a small town and my mother always said “do you want to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond?” Followed that advice for years and wish I had tried being a small fish in a big pond a lot sooner. It’s a great big wonderful world out there.
Years ago I went to work for a company. My first 5 or 6 raises were very good. When I announced that I would be building a house, my boss said “Don’t buy/build a house based on what you’re making now, but what you will be making in 5 years”.
So I built a fairly large house thinking that my pay would continue going up. Granted, I did a fair bit of the work myself (painting, flooring, cabinet installation) to save money. My raises immediately dropped to about $1.00 per hour after completing the house.
We made our mortgage each month, but it caused hardships for quite a few years until I quit that job and started adjusting.
Early in my career I was advised by a few people to focus my investments on preservation of capital and avoidance of risks. I disregarded that advice. The performance of the stock market since then (mid 80s) has been very rewarding.
Was that advice or a question? I mean there is no right answer, each of us is unique and some want to be the small fish in the small pond, and some want to be the big fish in the big pond. And some of us would just like to find a pond, while others don’t want to be fish at all
That’s not bad advice per se since guessing your age the people telling you that had just lived through the debacle of the 1970’s in equities
Ya know, I don’t think a person can answer that. What if I had done this rather than that 30 years ago. Would that decision have far reaching consequences on where I am and the family I have. I do know, I am the luckiest guy around. A wonderful wife who is definately the better half. Two grown daughters who are happily married each with a beautiful child with another one on the way. At this point there is no amount of money that would make me change my blessed life/family.
You can do it man, it’s only a couch.
And it seemed fairly wise after Black Monday in 1987.
You should give triathlon a shot. 
“She really likes you, and she’s practically divorced. You should go for it”
Strange. Being big fish in small pond has been the bomb for me. You can always travel.
Don’t take advice from JD Vance
That is funny, perhaps there is a story behind that you would like to share?
Somewhat similar to yours.
“Just wait on it a bit longer. You’ll know when the conditions are right.”
The conditions are never right. Wait too long for them to arrive and you’ll end up dead without ever having taken a leap.
The older I get, the more I believe that it’s the chances you don’t take that you end up regretting the most.
To be honest, I’ve told it around here so many times, it’s gotten kinda boring, sorry
The sex in the restaurant bathroom part doesn’t ever get old to us.
That was a different girl 
Old user, new name because of log in issues.
I deeply regret taking the advice to set up my business as an S Corp. Had I not done that, i might have recovered better from my ill fated business.