I once had lunch with a young man who said he’d spent over $100,000 with a “success guru” and it was the best investment he’d ever made. I nearly choked when he said this, but given his extraordinary success, I wasn’t about to question his judgment. Not knowing quite how to respond, I said, “I guess you wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to others.” To my surprise, he instantly and emphatically said he would not.

How could this be? He’d just said this was the best investment he’d ever made, yet now he’s saying he wouldn’t recommend others make the same investment. He went on to explain.

“The ideas I learned from this man changed my life because I actually put them to use. Virtually everyone else who learned the same things I did failed to implement a single idea they’d learned. The truth is, they weren’t there to learn. They were there to be entertained. And if this is all you’re looking for, there is a lot cheaper entertainment to be had. Go rent a video. Go buy a book. Or just sit and watch television. You’ll get just as much out of it for a lot less money. That’s why I don’t recommend others do what I did. So few people really want to get rich. Most would rather just watch.”