The title was actually a quote by the one and only actor Brendan Fraser in the popular 2000s movie, the Mummy, just incase anyone is wondering. As I tried to build a framework for my article, the scene came to mind and seemed like a perfect fit. Here, it is in respect to how we often fail to apply financial lessons from others, instead opting to be dealt the hard hand of experience.
Information is everywhere these days. I concede that filtering and organizing that information into useful bits that can be applied to our everyday lives is a bit overwhelming, but it is certainly a less costlier price than those that arise from a mistake, and depending on the gravity we might spend an unnecessary amount of time and resources simply trying to get ourselves out of the mess we may have created.
Yet as humans it is almost as if we love to experience things by nature, even at the expense of disaster. I have invested in some failed projects that I had a premonition of failure, but choose to forge ahead all the same. Perhaps the lessons are felt better when the lesson is self learned. Continuing on such a trajectory though will almost certainly lead to severe failure down the line.
It must be said that when it does come down to making money though, we would need to create our own experiences. Most financial success pathways are not linear, and often consists of varying, dynamic stories. Taking a risk doesn't mean taking a plunge though, and there are telltale signs to ensure that we are not being reckless with our financial futures.
That's Where the Life Part Comes In
I've been dealt a few hard life lessons - from relationships, interests, ambitions and aspirations to name a few. Some have left me scarred in some sense, but all have left behind valuable lessons. In all these, the losses are never insurmountable, and I usually pick myself up eventually and forge ahead. Being able to learn from other areas of life eventually teaches every adult with experience the same lesson, that we were better off listening to others.
Finance lessons are not so forgiving. This is further signified by the level of competition there is for financial success. Depending on where you live, wrong financial moves could be a matter of life and death. It is also incredibly difficult to make money, don't let the quick exceptional stories fool you. The methods and means might be a lot easier today, but the process remains quite challenging for the most parts.
This is why it is best to keep listening to those who have gone ahead of us. The beauty about investing is that every story teller is relevant, success or failure. Not going in prepared with information from these lessons is similar to taking a gamble, and tons of people are still trying to get out of predicaments from such a choice.