What's the best advice you ignored at first?

[Cheugy]

ometimes the advice you ignore ends up being the most useful.

For me:
"Consistency matters more than intensity"

Didn't believe it at the time.

Now I see it everywhere.

What advice did you only understand later?

[HeartbreakKidOscar97]

Mine/Invest in bitcoin when it was less than a dollar. I couldn't get it working properly on my pc back then.  could have been a millionaire. Damn

[Zach91]

What a shame mate

[Grover26]

I could have won the lottery, but I didnt pick the right numbers

[RayOfLight31]

I wish I had invested my cash isa into a share isa at an earlier age

[Kev5]

Don't **** where you eat

Has multiple uses 

[UniversalAidan73]

The consistency one is a big one. A lot of people want a perfect routine, perfect motivation, perfect conditions, then wonder why nothing changes. Small boring actions repeated for months usually beat a massive burst of effort followed by disappearing.

Took me years to realise that showing up when you are not feeling it is where the progress actually happens. The exciting days are easy. The average Tuesday is where things get built.

[IronWarden12]

Mine was being told to save money before increasing my lifestyle. Seemed too cautious at the time because everyone around me was upgrading cars, houses, holidays and whatever else.

Turns out having a safety buffer is a lot more relaxing than having the latest stuff. Not the most exciting advice, but probably some of the most useful.

[ClusterCanopy]

"Sleep on it" was advice I ignored for years. Thought quick decisions showed confidence, but rushing usually meant fixing mistakes later.

Now if something matters, especially money or relationships, giving it a night before responding has saved me from plenty of unnecessary drama.

[NatureBoyJonathan88]

The one about listening more than talking took a while to sink in. Early on, there is a temptation to prove you know things, but people usually remember the person who understood them.

Still catch myself doing it sometimes. The brain loves preparing the next reply instead of actually paying attention.

[CMPunk]

Mine was not comparing my journey to other people's timelines. Sounds like a motivational poster, but there is truth behind it.

Watching someone else reach a goal can make your own progress feel slow, even when you are moving in the right direction. Different starting points make direct comparisons pretty useless.

[Mick79]

"Don't burn bridges" is advice that sounds obvious until emotions get involved. There have been moments where walking away dramatically felt satisfying, but staying respectful usually pays off later.

You never know who you will work with again or who might unexpectedly help you in the future. The world is smaller than people think.

[Binary Anchor]

The advice I ignored was "ask for help earlier". Thought needing assistance meant I had failed somehow.

Turns out most experienced people are happy to share what they know. Spending three days struggling alone with something that someone else can explain in ten minutes is not a badge of honour.

[Kieron]

A bit of a boring one, but "look after your health now, not later" was the advice that took too long to appreciate.

When you are younger it feels like your body will always recover from bad habits. Then one day you realise sleep, food and exercise actually affect everything else.

[SilverSurfer51]

Mine was being told to read more. Thought books were mostly people telling you things you could learn online.

Changed my mind after reading a few good ones. A well-written book gives you someone else's years of experience condensed into a few hours. That is a pretty good deal.

[GlobalBob37]

The classic one for me was "stop trying to make everyone happy". It sounds harsh, but chasing approval from everyone is a guaranteed way to exhaust yourself.

Being kind matters, but there is a difference between being considerate and constantly putting yourself last.

[Hare]

The advice I ignored was taking notes. Felt unnecessary because I was sure I would remember important details.

Future me disagreed. Future me has forgotten where I put my keys, never mind complex ideas from six months ago. A simple note system is underrated.

[RogueJaguar]

Someone told me that reputation is built slowly and lost quickly. Thought it was just a saying, but work experience proved otherwise.

One bad decision does not define someone, but patterns do. Being reliable in small things creates a lot of trust over time.

[James93]

Mine was "learn the basics before chasing advanced stuff". Always wanted to jump ahead because the complicated topics seemed more interesting.

Eventually realised the fundamentals are what make everything else easier. The flashy stuff sits on top of boring foundations.

[KyleOReilly05]

Mine was not spending all my free time being productive. There was a phase where every hobby needed to become a skill or side project.

Eventually remembered that relaxing is not wasted time. Sometimes watching a film or going for a walk is exactly what keeps you functioning.

[Dark Elizabeth]

The best advice I ignored was probably accepting that progress is not always obvious. Sometimes you are improving without seeing dramatic results.

A lot of people quit because they judge a process too early. Some things need time before the results become visible.

[Hawk38]

The advice I fought against was taking breaks. It felt like stopping meant losing momentum.

Actually the opposite happened. Coming back refreshed usually meant better ideas and fewer silly mistakes. Machines need maintenance and apparently humans do too.

[Jacob_64]

The advice about making friends with people who challenge you was one I ignored. Easier to stay around people who agree with everything.

Different viewpoints are useful though. The people who respectfully question you are often the ones who help you improve most.

[WhatUQuant]

A good one is "your first answer is not always your best answer". Applies to arguments, projects and life decisions.

The first reaction is often emotional. Giving yourself time lets the logical part of your brain catch up.

[ElectronCloud]

Someone once told me that confidence comes from keeping promises to yourself. Dismissed it at first because it sounded too simple.

But there is something to it. Every time you do the thing you said you would do, even something small, you build trust with yourself.

[Freddie_47]

The one about keeping things simple took me a while. Always assumed complicated systems were better because they looked more impressive.

Most of the time the simple method that you actually use beats the perfect method that becomes too annoying to maintain.

[Andy81]

Mine was learning that being busy does not always mean being productive. Had periods where the calendar was full but very little meaningful work was happening.

A shorter list of important tasks usually beats a giant list that makes you feel busy.