An acquaintance of mine was lamenting the other day about someone he had gotten in bed with in a business deal. He said he was apprehensive to become involved with this particular individual, but he decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. The technical term for that is: Big Mistake.

It’s human nature to want to believe the best about others, which is why we tend to make so many mistakes when it comes to judging people. Far better to trust your instincts and err on the side of caution.

Above all, never delude yourself into believing that people will change; they won’t. There is much wisdom in an ancient proverb that warns, “You must have gold to make gold.”