“Devil’s Advocate” Bullshit

devils-advocate-or-whiner---the-thin-line

Many people hide behind the umbrella of “I was just being devil’s advocate” to manipulate others or make excuses. STOP IT! Be honest about your motives!  If you are one of these people who uses “I was just trying to help you by playing devil’s advocate“, please remember this one important secret to a successful life: do not offer unsolicited advice.   If they didn’t ask for your opinion or help then do not offer it.

When people shoot down a suggestion, they often say “I was just being Devil’s Advocate”, when in fact they are just being negative or are too lazy to implement the solution.  If you don’t want to do something, fine, explain to people the actual reasons why you don’t want to instead of playing this  game of “devil’s advocate”.   Nothing gets solved unless you are honest to yourself and others about your motivations and goals.  A perfect example of this is the recent post I did about an idea I had for young people who are handy starting out in life to make an extra $100,000 per year just working 8 hours each weekend.

Here is the post on IG:

#careers – Earn $100,000/yr extra working just 8hrs per weekend. Going rate here for hot water heater replacement on weekend is $1700 and the hot water heater itself only costs $700 even at full home depot retail price. On average you could replace one water heater in 4hrs, including driving time. Advertise as “hot water heaters replaced in 6 hrs or you dont pay – $1700 inc tax”. Stock a Ecolonine van with four tanks – 40 and 50 gallon gas and electric tanks with every conceivable valve and fitting. Stop making excuses people, in this new economy the only way to make it financially is to find a niche like this and start your own business. I dont care where you live, water heaters die every 7 years and this is one of the most stable business opportunities around – the other business opportunity is rental storage units and nursing. On a side rant, only in USA is “nutsing” a female profession – in Germany the profession has slways been gender neutral, as it should be. ProTip: make a disclaimer that additional fees apply to water heater instsllations that are not up to code.

All kinds of people replied with their “Devil’s Advocate” posts.   How easy did they expect it to be to earn $250/hr?  Do you know how few people make that much money?  People, if you don’t have the ability to do this, fine.  If you are too lazy to work weekends, fine.  If you are totally happy with your current life and are not interested in more money, fine.  But please, stop making ridiculous “devils advocate” excuses.  In 200 words I did not provide a complete business plan.   For $250/hr I would hope that people would be  motivated enough to fill in the details.  Of course you need to make sure you are following local building code guidelines and have the necessary permits which in most places would require that you be a licensed plumber.  Doctors spend 12 years at the university and accrue hundreds of thousands in debt to be able to earn $250/hr.  Do  you think becoming a licensed plumber is easier, faster, and less expensive than becoming a doctor?  I can guarantee it!  If you are a blue collar worker, you are lucky because the skilled trades are in higher demand than ever as time becomes more and more a premium for people who have neither the time nor the skills for DIY.  They way to make a solid financial future for you  and your children is to become licensed in the skilled trades AND start your own business … like my suggestion to start a hot water heater replacement business.

If I could go back in time and give myself advice

If I could go back in time and whisper into my 21 year old ear then I would have given myself the above advice to start a hot water heater replacement business.  Ten years of making an extra 100k/year and I could have retired age age 30 in 1990 instead of in 2001 at age 40.

Friends slap friends who say “I was just being Devil’s Advocate”