Written by: Quan Wai
We tend to ask for advice from friends and family when we encounter problems. Many people are willing to give us answers and suggestions as a way to show care and compassion.
The truth is, when we are in trouble, what we need the most is not an answer or a piece of advice. We may already have an answer in our mind. We just need the push to think outside the box to find it.
When we ask for advice, we do not really want advice. We are simply too lazy or scared to find the answer. We do not want to make our own decisions and take on responsibility—we prefer to let other people help us decide. We simply indulge ourselves in negative emotions and keep complaining about incompetent parents, poor schooling, bad business decisions, unfair competition… the excuses go on.
This will not help. Any attempt to evade responsibility will be a huge hurdle for us to find the real answer that can move us to the next level. When we face any problems, the only way we can find the final answer is to try our hardest to turn off the negative emotions, face responsibility, and break through the boundaries of our mindset. While it is nice to receive comfort from others at times, we must focus on ourselves to provide a correct solution to our own problems.
