Brief Summary
This YouTube video explores the nuances and potential pitfalls of common pieces of advice. It challenges the notion that these sayings are universally applicable and encourages critical thinking about their implications.
- Explores common advice
- Challenges the notion that these sayings are universally applicable
- Encourages critical thinking
Fake It Till You Make It
The advice "fake it till you make it" encourages adopting behaviours and mindsets of successful people before achieving success. While it can be a helpful behavioural rehearsal in small doses, it becomes dangerous when it turns into a mask, leading to mistakes and burnout, especially in high-stakes professions. Studies show that people who fake it for too long may feel detached from their achievements and feel like frauds. Real growth comes from practicing skills, making mistakes, and building confidence over time, making real progress more sustainable than manufactured confidence.
Never Give Up
"Never give up" is a common motivational message, but it can be misleading as a one-size-fits-all rule. Sticking to a failing path can waste resources and delay better opportunities due to the sunk cost fallacy. Smart quitting involves recognising dead ends, cutting losses, and making room for something that might work better. Real progress depends on perspective and the ability to distinguish between a worthwhile challenge and a path best left behind.
Be Yourself
The advice "be yourself" can be confusing because people naturally act differently around different people, and personalities are flexible and grow over time. It can trap people in a narrow version of who they think they should be and discourage trying new things. Exploring new behaviours expands identity. Being yourself is about knowing your values, being honest, and making space for change, not freezing into a permanent version of who you are.
Take Risks
The advice "take risks" promises boldness that will unlock dreams, but the truth about risk-taking is more nuanced. Not all risks are created equal; some are reckless. Smart risk-taking involves weighing possible outcomes, planning for setbacks, and reducing unnecessary harm. Intelligent risk-taking means understanding both the dangers and the opportunities while honestly knowing how much uncertainty you can handle. Growth, change, and learning almost always come with uncertainty, and what truly matters is how you face that uncertainty.
Follow Your Passion
The idea of building a career by following a single passion can be unrealistic. Not everyone has one clear passion, and interests can shift over time. Liking something doesn't always mean you'll be good at it, and the pressures of deadlines and finances can turn enjoyment into stress. A more effective approach is "passion through practice," developing skills in areas that genuinely interest you. Building a fulfilling career requires balancing interests with skill development, seizing opportunities, and staying adaptable.
Everything Happens For A Reason
The belief that "everything happens for a reason" can be comforting, but not every event carries a hidden message. Sometimes bad things happen without any larger narrative. The human brain seeks patterns and meaning, but there's a difference between making meaning and assuming meaning was already there. Believing everything happens for a reason can lead to inaction, rationalising injustice, or blaming victims. Meaning isn't always found; sometimes it's built deliberately in the aftermath.
Don’t Worry, You’re Young
The reassurance "don't worry, you're young" can become a trap, suggesting endless opportunity and that major decisions can wait. Putting off action because you're young often leads to a false sense of security. Foundational patterns from financial decisions to emotional coping begin taking shape well before 30. It can create a disconnect when young people are told not to worry while also being shown success stories of peers achieving massive things in their 20s. Being young is a window, not a pause button, and how you use that window matters more than how far away the deadline feels.
Believe You Can Do It
The idea that belief is the first step to success is about mindset. Self-efficacy, the belief in your ability to execute a specific task or goal, helps you push through resistance, but only if your skills, effort, and strategy are working. Confidence without preparation can create a false sense of readiness. Belief is more like fuel, and it works best when it's earned through preparation.
Do What Makes You Happy
The advice "do what makes you happy" seems simple, but the line between happiness and responsibility isn't always clear. Happiness is a moving target, and what feels good now might not hold up long term. It also ignores trade-offs and the difference between short-term pleasure and long-term satisfaction (hedonic vs. udemonic happiness). It's about understanding what kind of life you're really trying to build and what trade-offs you're willing to make to get there.
Yolo (You Only Live Once)
YOLO (you only live once) encourages spontaneity and bold decisions, but when taken to the extreme, it turns into an excuse to ignore consequences. It shifts from making life meaningful to maximising thrills, neglecting long-term value. A more balanced interpretation is that you only get one life, which makes how you spend your time matter. Living once doesn't mean living without thought; it means living with intention because you won't get a second draft.
Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
"Good things come to those who wait" suggests that time rewards those who are patient, but waiting only works when paired with action. Patience is sustained effort without immediate reward, not inaction. It runs into trouble when it encourages passivity, becoming procrastination dressed up as wisdom. Blind patience can waste years if it's not tied to a realistic plan. It's about moving forward slowly, deliberately, and with the discipline to keep going when results aren't instant.
The Customer Is Always Right
"The customer is always right" began as a business strategy to prioritise customer satisfaction, but it's been taken too literally, implying that customers should get what they want no matter how rude or unreasonable. In practice, not every customer is right, and when companies bend over backward to please everyone, it often comes at a cost to employees. Respect goes both ways, and running a healthy business means supporting the people who serve, not just the ones being served.
Always Be Positive
The idea of "always be positive" is rooted in optimism, but it loses its value when it becomes forced or absolute. Problems start when positivity becomes the only acceptable emotion, suppressing real feelings and avoiding important conversations. This is toxic positivity, using positive thinking to avoid, minimise, or invalidate real emotions. The more balanced approach is emotional flexibility, knowing when to focus on hope and when to acknowledge discomfort.
You Can Be Anything You Want To Be
The phrase "you can be anything you want to be" is meant to inspire, but not every dream is equally reachable. Talent, opportunity, resources, and timing all play a role. Saying you can be anything oversimplifies the real-world limits that people face and creates pressure. A more honest message might be, you can pursue anything you're willing to work toward, adapt for, and realistically improve in.
Time Heals All Wounds
"Time heals all wounds" suggests that the simple passage of time is enough to recover from emotional pain, but healing isn't automatic. Avoided emotions don't disappear; they often go underground and come back in unexpected ways. Real healing usually takes some kind of work, processing, reflection, support, or even therapy. Time is just a container; what you do during that time matters more than the time itself.
Opposites Attract
The idea that "opposites attract" is a familiar explanation for why unlikely pairs end up together, but research shows that people tend to pair up with those who are similar, not opposite. Shared values, interests, communication styles, and life goals tend to build stronger, longer-lasting connections. Where opposites attract tends to hold up is in short-term chemistry. Compatibility is less about having different traits and more about how two people handle those differences.
Never Go To Bed Angry
"Never go to bed angry" is often said like it's a rule for healthy relationships, but in real life, it doesn't always hold up. At night, people are tired, emotions are worn thin, and cognitive control drops. Trying to fix something in the middle of mental exhaustion often leads to more frustration. Sometimes going to bed angry is actually the wiser move, allowing the brain to process emotion and regain perspective. The real principle is about returning to resolution, not rushing toward it.
Always Be The Bigger Person
"Always be the bigger person" means responding to conflict or negativity with maturity, empathy, or self-control, but it can feel one-sided if you're always the one staying calm, apologising first, or letting things go. It doesn't mean allowing others to walk over you or suppressing your emotions. Sometimes the mature move is to set boundaries, speak up, or walk away, not to stay silent. It's about choosing responses that create less harm and more understanding without abandoning self-respect.
Love Unconditionally
"Love unconditionally" means loving someone no matter what, caring for them even when they mess up, change, or disappoint you. But it isn't the same as unconditional tolerance. You can love someone and still set limits, and still walk away if your well-being is at risk. At its healthiest, unconditional love is a commitment to care about someone's well-being even when it's hard, without using love as a bargaining chip.
Hard Work Always Pays Off
"Hard work always pays off" is meant to motivate, but it skips over context. Not everyone starts from the same place, and effort is powerful, but it's not the only factor. Systems, luck, and access matter, too. Working hard in the wrong way or on the wrong thing doesn't always lead somewhere useful. It needs feedback, adjustment, and sometimes a change of strategy. While hard work doesn't guarantee success, it often lays the groundwork for it.
Happy Wife, Happy Life
"Happy wife, happy life" implies that if a man keeps his wife happy, the household will be peaceful, but it oversimplifies a complex partnership. It puts the responsibility for peace on just one side and reinforces a stereotype that women are emotionally unpredictable and men should simply appease them to avoid conflict. In a more balanced interpretation, the happiness of your partner, no matter their gender, matters, not as a strategy to avoid arguments, but as a sign that the relationship is working.
Let Babies Cry It Out
"Let babies cry it out" is advice handed down for generations, but it's far from a one-size-fits-all solution. The cry it out method typically refers to sleep training, where parents intentionally give their baby space to fall asleep on their own, but babies cry to communicate, not manipulate. Ignoring those signals entirely, especially for long stretches, can be stressful for both the child and the parent. It has a place, but only when paired with sensitivity, timing, and a clear understanding of what that baby actually needs.
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" suggests that surviving hardship leads to resilience, but not everyone comes out of a crisis stronger. Some are left more anxious, more withdrawn, or more cautious than before. It's not the suffering itself that builds resilience; it's how someone is able to process it afterward. Challenge can lead to strength, but only if there's space to heal and reflect.
Follow Your Heart
"Follow your heart" suggests that your emotions can guide you better than logic alone, but emotions are messy and can be short-term reactions influenced by fear, desire, nostalgia, or anxiety. A more practical approach might be to listen to your emotions but filter them through reflection. Emotional signals can point you towards something important, but reason helps you weigh the risks and outcomes.
Power Pose For Confidence
The idea behind the power pose is that certain body positions can make you feel more confident even if you're not, but as more research came in, the original claims started to show cracks. Still, there's evidence that posture does affect how people feel. Even if power posing doesn't change your biology in a measurable way, it can shape your mindset in the short term. It's less about pretending to be someone else and more about reminding yourself that you're allowed to take up space.
Smile To Become Happy
The idea that smiling can actually make you feel happier is rooted in the facial feedback hypothesis, but later studies challenged the strength of this effect. Newer research has added nuance, finding modest but consistent evidence that facial expressions do influence emotions. Smiling might not instantly lift your spirits, but it could shift your focus, soften stress, or even influence how others respond to you.
Tailor Teaching To Learning Styles
The concept of tailoring teaching to learning styles suggests that students can be grouped into categories like visual, auditory, reading/writing, or kinesthetic learners, but while this idea became incredibly popular in education and training, the research behind it is more complicated. Multiple large-scale studies have found little to no evidence that matching teaching methods to learning styles actually improves outcomes. Instead, what tends to work better is matching the teaching method to the content rather than the learner.
Willpower Is Like A Fuel Tank
The idea of willpower as a fuel tank suggests that your self-control isn't infinite; it's more like a limited resource that gets used up throughout the day (ego depletion). But more recent studies have called ego depletion into question. Still, the fuel tank metaphor remains useful. Even if it's not biologically hardwired, energy and focus do fluctuate throughout the day. Structuring your day to protect your energy can help conserve willpower.
Washing Away Guilt
Washing away guilt refers to a psychological phenomenon where physical cleansing can reduce feelings of moral discomfort or guilt (the Macbeth effect). People who physically clean themselves after recalling an unethical act often report feeling less guilty afterward. The act of cleaning may help satisfy that mental need by giving it a physical resolution. It can give your mind a small tangible sense of closure.
Posters Of Eyes Make People Honest
Posters or images of eyes can increase honest or pro-social behaviour. The effect is based on the theory that humans are highly sensitive to cues of being watched. Just the suggestion of surveillance can trigger a subconscious shift in behaviour. When we think we're being observed, we tend to act more in line with social norms.
Wear Red To Attract Mates
The advice to dress to attract sounds straightforward, but the idea that clothes alone make you attractive is an oversimplification. Attraction is about much more than appearance. Personality, confidence, kindness, and how you carry yourself play huge roles in how others see you. Fit matters more than fashion, and people respond better when your style reflects who you really are.
No Pain, No Gain
"No pain, no gain" means that progress often comes with discomfort, whether physical or mental. Short-term pain can be the cost of long-term growth. The point isn't to seek suffering for its own sake, but to recognise that some degree of struggle is often part of the process. Discomfort doesn't always mean danger; it might mean you're on the edge of improvement.
Drink Eight Glasses Of Water A Day
The common advice to drink eight glasses of water a day has been repeated so often it sounds like a rule, but hydration isn't about hitting a fixed number. It's about meeting your body's needs, which change throughout the day. What actually matters is consistency and awareness. If you're eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, sipping water regularly, and not ignoring signs like dry mouth or fatigue, you're probably doing better than you think.
You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks
The saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" suggests that older individuals can't learn new things, but studies in neuroscience have shown that the brain continues to adapt across the entire lifespan. People well into their 60s, 70s, and beyond can still pick up new languages, learn to use new technology, or change long-standing habits with the right support and motivation. The bigger obstacle often isn't age, but attitude.
Sleep When You’re Dead
The phrase "sleep when you're dead" promotes hustle culture, the belief that success requires non-stop effort, but skipping sleep isn't just about time management. It's about how we value productivity over health. In reality, sleep plays a direct role in memory, decision making, mood regulation, and even the immune system. Consistently missing sleep doesn't just make you tired; it lowers your performance across the board.
Forgive And Forget
"Forgive and forget" combines two actions: forgiveness and forgetting. Forgiveness means making a conscious choice to let go of resentment, but forgetting isn't something you can force. Our brains are wired to remember pain as a way to avoid it in the future. Real forgiveness often keeps the memory, just without the ongoing anger. It's less about erasing the past and more about choosing what to do with it.
You Complete Me
The notion that one person can complete another sounds romantic, but it suggests that a person is somehow unfinished on their own and that fulfillment comes from finding the right partner. In healthy relationships, each person brings a sense of self to the table. It's about being connected without losing individuality. It may be more sustainable and more grounded to aim for relationships that compliment rather than complete.
Money Can’t Buy Happiness
The phrase "money can't buy happiness" is about the limits of what money can actually deliver. At a basic level, money does improve well-being, but once those needs are met, studies show the emotional returns start to level off. Happiness is tied to things like relationships, purpose, health, autonomy, and a sense of meaning. The pursuit of money can also backfire if it becomes the primary focus.
Hard Work Guarantees Success
"Hard work guarantees success" is a message that shows up everywhere, but how true is it? Hard work definitely matters, but calling it a guarantee leaves out the rest of the picture. Success is influenced by a mix of factors, including talent, timing, connections, luck, and access to resources. Hard work can increase the chances of success, but it doesn't always ensure it.
Love Means Never Having To Say You’re Sorry
The phrase "love means never having to say you're sorry" suggests that when love is genuine, apologies become unnecessary, but that's not how relationships work in real life. In those moments, an apology isn't just about admitting fault; it's about taking responsibility. Apologising doesn't weaken love; it strengthens it. In lasting relationships, apologies aren't a sign of weakness or distance; they're a part of what keeps love grounded and real.
People Never Change
The saying "people never change" suggests that human behaviour is fixed, but people change all the time, just usually not quickly and not without a reason. People can become more responsible, more open-minded, or more emotionally mature, especially when their environment changes or when they're motivated by something meaningful. Change is possible, but it's rarely instant.
Nice Guys Finish Last
The phrase "nice guys finish last" sounds like a warning against being soft in a competitive world, but being nice can mean a lot of different things. If it means being respectful, cooperative, or compassionate, then those are qualities that often help people succeed. The problem isn't kindness; it's when niceness is paired with passivity. Being kind doesn't mean losing; it means learning how to pair warmth with confidence.
Go With Your Gut
The idea of "going with your gut" is about trusting your intuition, those quick, automatic judgments that seem to come out of nowhere. It doesn't mean ignoring facts or logic; it means paying attention to what your brain might already know beneath the surface. Intuition is built from experience. Gut instincts aren't perfect; they can be shaped by biases, emotions, or incomplete information.
Don’t Plan; Just Be Spontaneous
The idea of "don't plan, just be spontaneous" sounds freeing and exciting, but while spontaneity has its charms, relying on it too much can lead to chaos rather than joy. Important aspects like work, finances, health, and relationships often require careful planning and foresight. The best approach balances thoughtful planning with occasional spontaneity.
Never Change For Anyone
The idea of "never change for anyone" feels empowering, but taken literally, it can become a barrier to growth, connection, and even happiness. Relationships require flexibility and adaptation. Change doesn't always mean losing authenticity; it can be a sign of maturity. Healthy relationships balance individuality with adaptability.
Everything Will Work Out If You Stay Positive
The idea that "everything will work out if you stay positive" assumes that optimism alone can control outcomes, but not everything improves just because you smile through it. Real change often requires practical steps, resources, support, and time, none of which automatically come from a good attitude. Optimism is a useful tool, not a guarantee.
Quitting Is For Losers
The idea that "quitting is for losers" might be one of the most misleading lessons we carry into adulthood. Strategic quitting is a skill. It means recognising when the cost outweighs the benefit and choosing growth over ego. Shifting careers, ending unhealthy relationships, or stopping a failing project doesn't make someone weak; it shows they're paying attention to reality.
Follow Your Dream At All Costs
The advice "follow your dream at all costs" sounds powerful, but not all costs are worth it. Treating a dream like a mission, no matter the consequences, can lead to burnout, debt, or strained connections. Dreams matter, but how you pursue them matters more. Blind commitment can backfire; a flexible approach often gets you farther.
The Early Bird Gets The Worm
The phrase "the early bird gets the worm" suggests that people who rise early and get a head start tend to outperform those who sleep in, but productivity isn't only about clocks; it's also about rhythms. Some people naturally function better later in the day. An early start helps when it aligns with your lifestyle, priorities, and energy levels, but being early isn't a guarantee.
There Are No Coincidences
The idea that "there are no coincidences" is the belief that everything happens for a reason and that what seems random is actually part of a hidden pattern. Humans are wired to spot patterns, but sometimes this instinct kicks in even when no real pattern exists (apophenia). It frames random events as meaningful, whether or not they were planned.
If At First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again (Indefinitely)
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" is rooted in persistence, but when taken literally, try again indefinitely, it gets more complicated. At some point, trying again might mean running into the same wall repeatedly. Trying again doesn't mean repeating blindly; it means testing, tweaking, and learning with each round. Persistence works best when it's paired with reflection and strategy.
Not Stressed, Failing
The belief that "if you're not stressed, you're not working hard enough" suggests that stress is a necessary badge of honour, but chronic stress takes a serious toll on both mental and physical health. Constantly equating stress with success ignores these damaging effects and promotes unhealthy work habits. Sustainable achievement comes from working smart, setting boundaries, and taking care of your mind and body.
You Can Know The Book By It’s Cover
The idea of "never judge others" is grounded in the fact that human behaviour is complex and most of it happens behind the scenes. People often act the way they do because of circumstances we can't see (fundamental attribution error). Choosing not to judge means recognising that there's almost always more going on than we realise.
Ignore Problems And They Will Go Away
The idea that "ignore problems and they will go away" rarely holds up in practice. While that strategy can offer temporary relief, it usually makes things worse over time (passive coping). Unresolved problems don't disappear from the mind; they linger in the background, draining focus and adding to low-level stress.
Money Is The Root Of All Evil
The phrase "money is the root of all evil" points to how the pursuit of money can distort priorities, decisions, and relationships. When money becomes the main reason behind someone's actions, it can lead to choices that harm others. It's not that having money is evil; it's when money becomes the goal rather than a means that things start to unravel.
Success Comes To Those Who Wait Patiently
The idea that "success comes to those who wait patiently" can easily lead to complacency. While some achievements require effort and persistence, the notion that patience alone is a virtue is misleading. It's not merely about playing the long game; it's about being strategic and adaptable in your journey towards success.
Face Is The Index Of Mind
The phrase "beauty is only skin deep" pushes back against the idea that looks reveal much about a person's character, values, or intentions. It separates surface-level traits from deeper qualities. Being attractive might influence first impressions, but it doesn't guarantee someone is kind, honest, or trustworthy.
Love Conquers All
The idea that "love conquers all" suggests that love is powerful enough to overcome any obstacle, but love doesn't erase consequences or fix bad decisions. A toxic dynamic doesn't become healthy just because love is involved. Mutual respect, communication, and accountability matter. While love might not literally conquer every obstacle, it often shifts the odds.
Always Put Others First
The phrase "always put others first" encourages selflessness, but if someone consistently sacrifices their own needs, time, or well-being, they might end up burned out or resentful. In healthy dynamics, consideration should move both ways. Sometimes putting yourself first doesn't mean being selfish; it just means being fair.
All You Need Is Love
The phrase "all you need is love" suggests that love alone can solve everything, but it can oversimplify complex realities. Love might be essential, but it doesn't pay rent, solve health problems, or fix broken systems on its own. It works best when paired with effort, resources, and mutual respect.
You Can Have It All
The phrase "you can't have it all" sounds limiting, but it's actually rooted in the reality of how life works. Time, energy, and attention are limited resources. If you choose to pour yourself into a demanding career, that often means having less time for family or hobbies. Meaningful achievements require trade-offs.
Ignorance Is Bliss
While the adage "ignorance is bliss" may initially seem appealing, it oversimplifies the complexities of reality. This belief suggests that remaining unaware of challenges or uncomfortable truths can protect us from distress, but it neglects the crucial role that knowledge plays in personal growth and informed decision-making.
The Grass Is Always Greener
The phrase "the grass is always greener on the other side" captures a common feeling, the tendency to idealise what we don't have and underestimate what we do. It's driven by comparison. We see the highlights of others and compare them to the behind-the-scenes of our own lives. Often that impression is shaped more by perception than reality.
If You Build It, They Will Come
The belief that "if you build it, they will come" sounds hopeful, but in reality, building something is only half the challenge. The other half is getting anyone to notice. Discovery doesn't happen automatically. You often have to market, share, explain, and invite people in.
Trust The Process
While the phrase "trust the process" carries valuable insights, it is crucial to acknowledge that not all
