Relationship Tip: Don't let anyone get in the way of your goals

As human beings, we like to seek advice from partners, friends, and relatives, especially when we're going through trying times or contemplating a life-changing decision -- like popping the big question or switching jobs.

However, sometimes these well-meaning individuals give us misguided suggestions. They dispense advice that reflects what they would do in your situation or what they did when they've found themselves in similar situations -- not necessarily what they feel would be the right course of action for you.

For example, let's say you've always dreamed of becoming a professor. Many people might try to dissuade you from breaking into higher education because:

"that field is not known to pay well"
"there are no professorial jobs"
"there's too much bureaucracy"

What annoys me most is that there's a good chance none of these individuals have ever even been professors themselves.

It's one thing to say that, based on what others have told you, jobs in higher education aren't always plentiful and the best-paying. It's another to say that you shouldn't even bother.

I lost count of the many times people told me not to do something, yet I did and wound up reaping the benefits. I've also lost count of the number of times people told me to follow a certain path and I resisted -- only to later discover the path I chose on my own was indeed the right one.

Bottom line: Take others' suggestions with a grain of salt. If we heed someone else's advice and it leads to an unfavorable outcome, you only have yourself to blame for not listening to your gut.

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