Sometimes taking advice is a good thing, even if it temporarily
impedes forward progress…
It seems everyone has something to say about something. I rarely generalize to this extent but when it comes to advice, humans are inclined to be very generous. No matter how well intended, one’s advice often goes unheeded.
Every parent knows what I’m talking about. In our efforts to have our loved ones avoid our painful mistakes, we sometimes become too earnest in trying to relay our hard earned wisdom to the next generation. Looking at my own forays into fatherhood, I found that my son not taking my advice has made parenting a less than rewarding experience for me. No one teaches you how to be a parent. But life metes out its’ own lessons that can be of great value to the next generation.
I’m pretty free with my advice when I think could help other people. To my disappointment however it usually falls on deaf ears. Is it just the way it is? Does the next generation have to fight a war to know that it is a destructive activity even for the “winners”? I don’t know? But here’s a one solution. A person giving advice to another out of his own experiences has a higher level of reality on its workability than anyone else. We know that few if anyone will go out and use that wisdom, but there’s one person who could and that’s the person himself.
To my horror, I discovered that I seldom take my own advice. I know what is right; I know what to do that results in a more abundant, simpler and happy life. But do I do it? This is my new life project, taking my own advice. What does that mean? Applying what I know in my own life. What a concept!! Life is a process. Sometimes you have to understand something, forget it, and rediscover it anew later in life.
Most of us are quite smart. We know what will benefit us. For example, in my contracting business, when I promoted it expanded, when I stopped promoting my business it contracted. The obvious conclusion is that if you want to expand a business you have to promote it.
You have to let people know who you are and what you do. In these times that includes a web presence. I think most business owners now understand that, but some have not yet taken their own advice. The business owners that know this and have acted on it are moving to the forefront while others drift down the food chain. It’s tough these days. It takes pulling out all the stops and investing in new areas in order to get known. The fact is that more stuff is sold on the web than ever before. And the numbers keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger. You know that. Isn’t it time you take your own advice.
