This question originally appeared on Quora: What are some universal things we should not do to become successful? Answer by Brandon Lee, real estate investor, writer, and entrepreneur.
These aren’t hard and fast rules—there are always exceptions, caveats, and nuances to lists like these—but here are a few things you should avoid if you’d like to be successful:
- Don’t take advice from people who do not have the results you are looking for (e.g. Don’t ask Michael Jordan for tennis advice or get financial advice from your broke friend). Study those who have the results you are looking for.
- Don’t instantly believe everything you hear. Trust but validate.
- Don’t feel like you need to do everything by yourself; you don’t have to be the best or the smartest. It’s far better to have the support of a team, mentors, and friends who will have your back.
- Don’t underestimate the power of rest, play, and fun in the midst of all the hours you spend working—there is a place for both.
- Don’t neglect your physical, emotional, and spiritual health in your pursuit of financial wealth.
- Don’t be a bridge burner—don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t circumvent, don’t backstab, don’t take advantage of, don’t deceive, don’t steal credit—unless you want your future bridges to come pre-burned because of your reputation. Continually build bridges, and others will help build more for you.
- Don’t build a reputation of over-promising and under-delivering. Under-promise and over-deliver.
- Don’t focus on having the biggest slice of the pie. Focus on growing the pie so everybody wins.
- Don’t rush yourself. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Think decades, not month by month.
- Don’t forget to thank those that have helped you along the way.
Bonus: When you make it, give back and help those that want to follow in your footsteps.
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