Have you ever met a fat unhealthy doctor? I knew several. don’t get me wrong, I also know plenty of healthy ones, in fact. My current doctor is a workout guy like me.
I am bringing this up because some people can dish out advice, like eat right, exercise, and don’t abuse bad habits, like the doctors above. I once knew a heart surgeon that was so out of shape, yet, at work he was the one who told people to live better lives. Do as I say, not as I do. He would give that advice then on the way home smoke a cigarette only to eat pork roast with mashed potatoes with a beer and lie down immediately afterwards. He would justify it by saying he had a stressful job. A stressful job is all the more reason to eat right and exercise.
I bring this up because this happens in many professions. I see people who take work so seriously but when they get home they just don’t care. I see the opposite as well. Someone who is so caring and careful at home goes to work and treats people poorly on the job. They can always justify it or they don’t realize it.
These actions make me curious about people who give advice. Like people who get you to buy insurance or invest in something when they don’t follow their own advice. Like people who run investment funds that don’t have any of their own money in their own fund. That always bothers me when you ask them if they have money in their fund and they say no. They may have an excuse but it’s generally because they have something better for themselves.
Doctors are the same way, if they give me advice about my health while they look completely overweight, then you have to ask, do you follow this advice? I would bet they say sometimes or some wishy washy answer.
Back to investing, I see it so often now that I am older. People give out advice that they won’t follow so they get their commission or close the sale.
So remember, you can’t always trust the sales person. Be aware and ask them if they have done this themselves. I wish I would have asked that more often throughout my life. I made a lot of bad decisions based on bad advice.
Also, even if they did it, you still have to think what’s best for you and your family. Don’t follow blindly. You have to do what you think is best for you.
Decisions are hard enough, but if the person guiding you doesn’t follow their own advice, you have to ask them why. It had better be a good reason. Nobody should trust a hypocrite, but maybe some people need to point it out. It may surprise you, but most people are not aware that they live by a double standard. We often think we’re doing the right thing, but maybe we’re just kidding ourselves. Luckily I have my wife and kids to help keep me honest.