Why I Don't Take Advice from Most People: The 4 Filters That Protect My Life | 1PM: 169

In this unapologetically direct episode, Bertrand Ngampa reveals why he rejects most advice—even when it's well-intentioned—and gives you the four filters he uses to decide whose voice gets access to his life. After an incident this past weekend where someone sat him down to give unsolicited advice, Bertrand breaks down exactly why he listened politely, said "I appreciate you sharing that with me," and then immediately discarded 50% of what was said.

The 4 Filters for Taking Advice:

Filter 1: Financial Success Bertrand is a money person. If you're not making way more money than him, he's not heeding your financial advice. Period. This isn't arrogance—it's discernment. Why would you take business or wealth-building advice from someone who's broke or making less than you? The messenger matters as much as the message.

Filter 2: Life Fruits (Non-Financial Success) Beyond money, Bertrand looks at the totality of someone's life—their relationships, their peace, their health, their impact. If the fruits of your life don't match up with the way Bertrand wants his life to look, he's not taking your advice. You can be rich and miserable. You can be successful and divorced three times. You can have a platform and be spiritually bankrupt. If your life isn't proof that your advice works, why should anyone listen?

Filter 3: Physical Health (Your Temple) If your body—your temple—doesn't look the way Bertrand believes it should, he's not taking your advice either. This one will offend people, but it's real. How you treat your body is a reflection of discipline, self-respect, and long-term thinking. If you can't manage your own health, why would Bertrand trust your guidance on managing anything else?

Filter 4: Solicited vs. Unsolicited If Bertrand didn't pay you for your advice and you're giving it unsolicited, he's not letting it in. He'll sit there politely. He'll think about what you said. You might even make great points. But overall, if you volunteered your opinion without being asked or compensated, it gets filtered out. Unsolicited advice is usually more about the giver's ego than the receiver's benefit.

The Religious Filter:

In this particular incident, 50% of the advice was immediately dropped because it was religious and didn't fit Bertrand's worldview. He appreciated the person explaining their perspective, but if the foundation of your advice is rooted in beliefs Bertrand doesn't share, it's irrelevant to his decision-making process.

Why We Need Different Messengers:

Bertrand admits something profound: if you knew him one-on-one, you might not take half the advice he gives because he probably doesn't even take his own advice. You'd look at his life and say, "This guy's full of shit. I'll take half of what he says at best." And that's exactly the point—everyone receives things differently depending on the messenger.

This is why the world needs so many messengers, prophets, teachers, and voices. What resonates coming from Bertrand might not resonate coming from TD Jakes, Russell Brunson, or Mark Cuban. The message might be identical, but the messenger determines whether you actually receive it.

The Harsh Truth About Bertrand's Advice:

The advice Bertrand gives publicly is actually the nicer, condensed version of what he'd actually do. In person, he's 10 times harsher. Case in point: someone said something to him this weekend that he didn't like, and he cut them off completely. When Bertrand gets upset at somebody, they're dead to him. There's nothing he can or wants to do for them anymore. You piss him off or cross that line, and you're gone from his life.

He's in therapy working on increasing his capacity for patience and grace, but there are certain things that, if you say them, show him exactly who you are—and you're out. Period. Some people will say that sounds harsh, cold, or extreme. Bertrand doesn't care. He has high standards for who gets to speak into his life, and so should you.

Apply This Framework to Everyone:

Don't blindly accept advice from Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, TD Jakes, Grant Cardone, Russell Brunson, or Mark Cuban just because they're famous or wealthy. Look at the totality of their life and ask:

• Is this the type of person I want to take advice from?
• In this specific area, have they proven expertise?
• Does their life reflect the outcomes I want?

Russell Brunson made a fortune with funnels? Great—take his advice on funnels. But family advice? Probably not. Advice on Black issues? Absolutely not. He's a white guy with no studies, no lived experience, and no expertise in that area. His opinion is irrelevant.

Your Life Deserves High Standards:

This is your life. You get one of these. You don't let just anybody walk in and start telling you what to do. Have high standards for who you let speak into your existence. Look at the messenger, not just the message. Evaluate their financial success, their life fruits, their physical health, and whether you even asked for their input in the first place.

Call Bertrand cocky. Call him arrogant. He doesn't care. He's protecting his one life from mediocre advice given by people whose lives he doesn't want to replicate.

SHARE THIS PODCAST: If you've ever politely nodded through terrible advice from someone whose life is a mess, share this episode and tag Bertrand @bngampa on all social media. Let's normalize having high standards for whose voice gets access to our lives. Leave us a 5-star review and subscribe to The 1% Man podcast so you never miss the unfiltered truth that protects you from wasting your time on advice from the wrong messengers. Your life is yours. Guard it fiercely.