Advice Paradox

Good advice is critical for improvement, but most advice is not good advice.

Being able to tell good advice from bad advice is life-changing.

That's easier said than done, of course! Sometimes it feels like you can't know the good advice from the bad until after the fact. Anyone who's ever worked with corporate consultants knows what I'm talking about. 🤣

Telling good advice from bad

I've come up with three heuristics that help me estimate the value of someone's advice:

#1: Does the person offering the advice have actual proven experience and success in this area? (be wary of people with strong opinions in fields they don't understand)

#2: Did the person offering the advice take the time to deeply understand your situation and problem before actually offering the advice? (be wary of people who tell you what to do without knowing your situation)

#3: Has the person offering the advice demonstrated humility and explained the limits of their understanding? (be wary of people who speak with absolute confidence in their opinions)

Oh, and one last thing...

Be skeptical of advice...even from me.

Okay, especially from me. 🤣 Please understand that no one's advice, no matter how well-meaning and well-informed, will change the fact that they aren't you. Advice is never a “sure thing” because no one has ever lived through an experience identical to yours.

On the podcast:

• Ep. 289: Competition Camps, feat. Lyzz "Daemonette" Mitrovic

Further study:

• Permission Paradox