When I was in college, my freshman adviser warned me, "Don't go into any field of science. You don't have what it takes." Maybe not, I thought. To this virtual stranger, I was a female (strike one) with lackluster grades (strike two) and questionable emotional stability (strike three).
However, despite these shortcomings, I did have an uncanny ability to spot bogus advice proffered by clueless people. I also had my heart set on pursuing a scientific career. So I got myself a new adviser and continued on my path, which led me to a successful career as a scientist, and now the launch of my own business. It's been great. I've achieved success and been rewarded for it, and I've had a great time working with some terrific people. To think that I might have missed it had I taken this worthless advice infuriates me.
Lots of us seem to get great advice. I attended a corporate leadership meeting a few years ago, and everyone was asked to provide some personal profile information, including the best advice they'd ever gotten. I couldn't think of damn thing, really. The advice I got from my parents was cautionary rather than aspirational. Work hard. Don't screw up. Be responsible. Everyone else submitted nice bits of personal and professional advice.
My adviser's unwelcome advice still lingered in my mind, 40 years later. In retrospect, maybe I was driven to succeed to disprove his dim view of my prospects. Last year, I read in my college alumni magazine that he passed away. I'd never gone back to say, "Hey, you jackass: you were wrong about me" , not because I'm above that sort of thing but because, frankly, I was certain he'd never remember me.
I do wonder though: how many people are dissuaded from following their dreams as a result of the witless advice of others? Advice, particularly when dispensed by people in positions of authority or people we hold in high regard professionally, may carry a lot of weight. When someone like that tells us we can't or shouldn't do something, what is it that they know that we don't?
I'm curious to find out whether you folks have had similar experiences with bad advice. Let me know in the comments: what's the worst advice you've gotten? Did you follow it or reject it?