I don’t know who said it (I’ve never been able to find the quote), but this is some of the best advice I ever heard:
“Always beware the man who stops digging for gold and starts selling maps to the gold mine.”
In other words, don’t trust someone who tells you they know how to make money…if you’ll just pay them some money first.
You see this everywhere. I see it all the time in my business—lawyering.
There’s always some new trial method. Some new book about some new technique. Some new jury consultant. Some new marketing guru who tells me they’ve found the secret to getting clients, winning trials, and making lots of money.
If I just pay them first.
This is different from legitimate educators who make a living teaching others how to improve—people like high school math teachers, college professors, good bosses and trusted mentors.
And there are good, smart, talented friends who simply want to share what they’ve found to help you—free of charge.
But it does not include hucksters trying to make a quick buck.
A simple question to ask is, “if this shyster’s discovered the secret to making lots of money, why isn’t he doing it?”
The simple answer usually is: He hasn’t.