Can I Bother You for Some Advice?

Happy Friday Friends,

When I joined my current company as CEO I knew there were a lot of gaps in my experience and knowledge. That wasn’t a bad thing at all, it was merely a fact. You won’t have all the experience you need for something until you’ve been working at it for a while. The key is identifying your gaps and then making a plan to fill them as quickly as possible.

Through life the more you do this the fuller you will become as a human. I also believe the fuller your life becomes. It’s a feeling of constant hunger for information and experience. I've made a conscious decision never to lose the “children are a sponge” mentality.

You can fill knowledge gaps with reading and learning. Those of you that have been reading my blogs for a while will know I love to read and love to learn. Most of my "study" I get from books, newsletters and podcasts.Sometimes though a generalised book is not enough to get you where you need to go. It’s a good starting point but I then reach out to my network and smarter people than me to get advice.

Adults throw advice in our faces when we're young. It comes from every direction. We often aren’t open to accepting it. A lot of that is due to ego but I also think it’s important to reject advice, especially as a teenager or in your early twenties.

Why?Well because then we’re gonna fuck up and the quicker we fuck up the quicker we learn. And part of that learning curve is to listen to advice when it’s given.

The strange flip side of that coin is when you get older advice is harder to come by. And, another issue is that these days everyone thinks they’re an expert on every topic. This means you have to be selective of the people you reach out to for advice. And you should be selective of the pieces of advice you keep and use.

We don’t realise that advice is subjective. The answers you're looking for are never black or white. You can ask 10 people the same question and you will get 10 different answers. That’s because we all have different experiences that add to our knowledge base. And, no one will be in the exact same situation, at the exact same time as you.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advice but it does mean you should filter it. Advice should be part of the learning process. Get 10 bits of advice and take snippets from each to suit your needs.

In this week’s post, I’m going to play devil's advocate and discuss both sides of the advice coin.

Harnessing the Power of Advice

In life's journey, we often encounter crossroads where the right decision seems elusive. During these moments of uncertainty, seeking advice can be a game-changer. Whether it's guidance from a mentor, a friend's perspective, or even a stranger's chance remark. The world is teeming with valuable insights waiting to be discovered. When we embrace the art of taking advice it can unlock hidden opportunities. The advice we receive can speed up personal growth, and lead to a more fulfilling path.

Widen PerspectivesEmbracing advice allows us to see situations from different angles. It can help us break free from tunnel vision and encourage empathy.

Learn from ExperienceThere have been many who have walked a similar path before us. We don't need to reinvent the wheel, we can reach out to them for advice. And in doing so, we can avoid pitfalls and find shortcuts to success.

Validation and SupportWe often need to reach out for advice when we feel lost. A little validation and encouragement will help us move forward with confidence.

Personal GrowthAccepting advice involves humility. Humility fosters personal growth by acknowledging that we don't have all the answers. Knowing we know nothing is a value we all should have.

Creating ConnectionsSeeking advice fosters connections and strengthens relationships, building a support network around us.

Accepting advice is not a sign of weakness but a powerful tool for growth and progress. When we embrace the wisdom of others, we enrich our lives, make wiser choices, and forge deeper connections. As we navigate life's complexities, let's remain open to the golden nuggets of wisdom that surround us.

Do Not Go Blind into That Good AdviceRage, rage against the dying of mistakes.While advice can be invaluable, there's a flip side to consider. There are dangers that can arise if we are not critical of the advice we receive. The desire for guidance might lead us down a path of dependency and suppress our ability to trust our instincts.

Loss of AutonomyIndependent, autonomous thought is something we all strive for. But, if we rely too heavily on external advice it can become dependent on that. We weaken our ability to assert our own preferences.

Misalignment with ValuesAt no fault of their own, the people giving us advice will never fully understand our objectives and priorities. This will lead to recommendations that may clash with our values and goals.

Unintended ConsequencesAgain, due to the limited knowledge of the person giving advice, they may overlook potential repercussions. This could leave us unprepared for the aftermath of our decisions.

Inhibiting CreativityIf we are always looking for advice and following it word for word we do so at the risk of our creativity. When we are not selective of when we ask for advice we limit our ability to explore unique solutions.

Let's navigate this delicate dance, using advice as a compass rather than a roadmap, as we chart our own course through life's intricacies.

Peace, Love and Muscles

Jazza

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