It seems like those at the top love dishing out advice, on chat shows, in blog posts, at awards ceremonies (etc). A lot of it is probably genuine: the successful actor, having once been a mere aspiring actor unemployed and watching the Tony’s, likes to make an powerful statement aimed directly at those who now sit in exactly that position. No doubt ego plays a role too, and the actor, having offered some advice, feels chuffed with themselves for having completed the circle. Thriving actor inspires wannabe actor, who later becomes thriving actor.
I notice that the advice given by successful people is hardly ever the same. Besides the basic things like ‘never give up’, which nobody says anyway as it’s so generic, it seems like every piece of advice is different from the next. If the advice-giver is making a genuine recommendation for how to succeed, then they’ll be describing what worked best for them. But you don’t often hear the same advice repeated by different people… every star has their own spin. Could it be that there’s no one easy path to success, and that every successful entrepreneur, radio dj, or politician got where they got via an unusual mix of luck, dedication, and existing alignment with their chosen field? They all give different advice because different things worked for them along the way, and if they all went down unique paths then you’ll likely have to too. Once-heard advice is limited in its helpfulness.