OBSERVATION: Giving Advice

Observations about advice:
1) Proverb: “To be successful is to follow the advice you give to others.” Why are we so much smarter, more sensible, and stronger when we are dealing with problems of others?
2) Samuel Coleridge: “Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind.”  Giving advice that isn’t received as criticism takes tact, timing, and a supportive tone.
3) Khalil Gibran: “Most people who ask

for advice from others have already resolved to act as it pleases them.” Many people are not really seeking advice; they want affirmation. They want you to approve of what they did or want to do. Saul Bellow said, “When we ask for advice we are usually looking for an accomplice.”
What’s your best advice about advice? When has it worked and when has it backfired?

Image: A cat gives advice to his son.

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