Opinions will kill you
It was the great master and teacher of success, Napoleon Hill who studied extremely successful and wealthy people who once said: “Opinions are the cheapest commodities on earth. Everyone has a flock of opinions ready to be wished upon anyone who will accept them. If you are influenced by “opinions” when you reach DECISIONS, you will not succeed in any undertaking.” But how many of us listen attentively to the opinions of others, and even worse, take the “advice”? If this is you then you need to think hard about whether you can identify a comment as an opinions, and secondly why you may take the opinions of others as fact or advice. Many people may take opinions for various reasons, and it is normally the case they are affected or listen to the opinions of their family members, their friends, or people who may seem successful to that particular individual. But what have you done to be due diligent and recognise whether what you are investigating or trying to understand has an objective reference point, or a success pattern of some sorts you can follow?
If you look at the very definition of opinion it reads as follows: a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge… If the definition even tells you that an opinion is not necessarily based on fact or knowledge, why would you fall into the opinions of someone else? It doesn’t make sense but a lot people don’t make sense. Please do not confuse me for saying that people cannot make suggestions, as they are ideas or plans put forward for consideration; a consideration that you are in control of. Ultimately whether you listen to an opinion or not, you make the decision at the end. The ability for us to decide is such an important tool in life because it creates an enhanced degree of certainty, it breeds results and allows us to adapt and become innovative, allowing life to be an even greater teacher.
Only a foolish man can blame someone else for the opinions they endorse – Michael Tabirade
The funny thing is some people will say “But why should I listen to you, isn’t this whole article an opinion?”, well too be honest with you I answered the question for you. If you identify this an opinion you must weigh up for yourself whether your decision fits well based on a degree of fact or knowledge, or an experience that reveals a pattern, and secondly whether you will listen to it or not.
At the end of the day it is your life to control, but how you control it affects the quality of your life, and being in a position to not only listen attentively, but to also use problem-solving skills to investigate and eventually DECIDE what you do and what you believe to be true.
