We asked folks we admire to share one piece of conventional advice that they disagree with.

Kristina Hoyer | Human Performance Coach

One piece of conventional advice I disagree with is that life is about balance. I don’t believe that balance exists in the way that a lot of coaches and entrepreneurs, speakers and teachers talk about it. Especially when it comes to high performers and highly driven individuals. There will always be sacrifice and obsession, both of those are what often make someone absolutely incredible at what they do. The “balance” I believe in, is called choice. We get to choose what makes us feel best, what we value and what will drive us towards our target in a more direct and clear fashion with laser like focus. First step is to define what success looks like for you. Second, identify what you deeply value in that arena of life and make sure the two are in alignment. Third, make choices and go all in on those choices with radical responsibility and ownership of what your life looks like right now and what it will look like as you create it. Balance doesn’t exist, choice does. Read more>>

Mark Swan | Producer, Videographer, Editor, Author

“You have to pay your dues before you can get anywhere in business X.” In any and every professional culture, there will always be the person who insists that your success is not warranted because you haven’t paid your dues. Despite this term being nebulous at best, this person should almost always be ignored. You will experience the person who has gone through the proper channels, made the right friends, attended the right meetings, and who will hate you because you didn’t have the experiences they have had. This person will be upset that you don’t beg for their respect, just because they’ve played the game longer than you. They’ll whine and moan that your success exceed theirs. They’ll demand, to anyone who is listening, that you should be discredited for not playing the game like they did. To hell with them. Read more>>

Jennifer Padgett | Artist

I disagree with the conventional advice: Don’t quit your day job. As cheesy as it sounds, I believe that if you believe in yourself, and in your dreams, you can take that leap and quit your day job to follow your dreams and make them your reality. A stable income is really important to any household, of course. And sometimes following your dreams means taking a risk and losing that stable income in favor of a non-conventional job as an artist, a baker, an entrepreneur. But I really think the people who take that risk and that leap are rewarded for their fearlessness. They are so inspiring! Read more>>