with a pinch of salt

Sometimes when people say things that you already know, you could tell how they like to use their words. Exaggerating things, twisting words, making himself look better or simply the truth.

But sometimes when they tell you things that you don't know, it's better to take it with a pinch of salt, until you really experience it yourself or ask questions that relates to it or consult an expert or somebody who is really good at it.

So when my uni friend told me he's getting 5 figures in his next job, I was very troubled, like how can that be? So after consulting an experienced HR, it seemed that he has exaggerated, using his annual income to divide. and then he continued to say about how working in the banking industry is like etc etc.

and I also got misguided a few times when I was working in Shanghai, people promising things they can't fulfill, or saying things that are unreal all that.

The morale of the story is, do not trust anything you are told. Look for facts and back it up with data yourself, or experience it yourself.