Taking recommendations: one simple rule
With age comes wisdom, they say. No, it doesn’t. Age is not a determinant of wisdom. Age is simply the number of years passed. With the experience within those years, comes wisdom.
Taking recommendations is a key aspect of success and progress. Listening to all of them is important, while doing all of them is a key to failure.
I have one simple rule on this topic. Personally, I do this:
I listen to the piece of advice that is given me. If I find it unique, I note it down. Then, I check the position and the vision of the person who is giving me that piece of advice. If I do not see myself at his/her level, I take the advice as a “negative” one. What does it mean?
Don’t forget that each person is capable of giving advice depending on his/her expectations, work ethic and perspective. If you want to aim higher, listening to their advice will not take you there. Because they are incapable of giving you valuable advice for your personal goals. They also do not know themselves. If I take an advice as a “negative” one, I think that the correct way for me can be doing something other than that advice.
Each piece of advice is valuable. Sometimes they show correct paths to you, sometimes they show which paths not to enter.
Important thing: Listen to all of the recommendations. It is your responsibility to filter them out. Try to squeeze value out of each one of them, and then omit them if necessary.
In the end, people remember what you do, not from whom you took advice.
When you seek advice, also know that the most amount of positive advice that you can get is from the future “you”. Be a knowledge seeking machine, but be aware that your perspective and gut feelings are more important than any advice you will get.
Enjoy the ride.
