Today I was thinking about helping people fix issues that actually benefit them, not me. I have knowledge that can save them a lot of money by avoiding costly mistakes. I’ve seen it happen plenty of times where people end up paying more simply because they didn’t follow through on solid advice. What’s interesting is that at first, they listened, acted quickly, and saved money.
But over time, they started taking that advice for granted. They stopped following through, and sure enough, the extra costs came back. It makes you realize how often people around us offer free professional-level advice or help. Whether it’s troubleshooting your computer or giving expert guidance that would normally cost hundreds of dollars an hour, we tend to undervalue it just because it comes from a friend or someone we’re close to.
We put their advice on the shelf and ignore it. So many times people say, “If only I had the right help,” or “If only I could afford a consultant.” Yet the skills and knowledge they need are often right there in their own network. They just aren’t taking advantage of it. You don’t always need to spend hundreds of dollars an hour or struggle to find help.
Sometimes all it takes is appreciating the expertise around you and simply asking. But when you do ask, treat that advice with the same seriousness as if you were paying two hundred dollars an hour for it. Just because it comes from a friend doesn’t make it any less valuable.