Because of your position, you often get the opportunity to share your advice. You may dispense with wisdom in how to read more books in a year, develop a self-improvement plan, or how to increase your productivity.
You’ve studied this. You know this. You live this.
And your people are grateful for the knowledge you impart to them. As long as you’re living it out.
Take Your Own Advice
I’ve watched countless people share their insights, wisdom, and knowledge. What I’ve also witnessed is that many of them do not take their own advice.
It’s an easy thing to do.
We study the books of great leaders, watch countless TikTok videos on how to become a better leader, and listen to endless podcasts about personal development. All of it good, all of it helpful.
So, we hear and we regurgitate advice as if it is our own. It may be your own after you share it so many times.
Yet, something is missing.
We’re failing to take our own advice. And it’s painful.
Painful for those you lead. Painful for yourself.
Why? Because you’re sharing things that you’re not doing personally. You’re parroting what you’ve heard and seen done. But you haven’t experienced it yourself. You’re not living it out.
And that’s not good.
You’ve got to start taking your own advice.
How To Take Your Own Advice
Knowing that you struggle to take your own advice is half the battle. Now, it’s time for a change. For personal growth. Here’s how you can take your own advice.
The next time you share advice, think about the following:
When was the last time I did what I’m sharing?
A friend has come up to you with a problem. You have a solution. Or so you think.
You begin telling them precisely what they should do. Then, they ask you a question: When was the last time you’ve done this?
Oof! That’s a big gut check. You realize you haven’t implemented your own advice in a long time.
You look at yourself and know you’ve got to try your advice. You need to determine if it remains applicable to today’s world.
Have I ever done this?
Sometimes, we give advice on something we’ve never done. We read the book, watched the seminar, or heard someone talk about it. But… you’ve never done it.
The advice sounds solid. It feels like it should work. Does it?
You don’t know because you’ve never attempted it. You’ve only heard an example of what someone said they’ve done.
Be careful giving advice on things you’ve never done. You may be giving out incorrect advice or sharing something that is more advanced.
Is it legit?
Whenever I hear the word legit, I think of M.C. Hammer’s song 2 Legit 2 Quit. Do you remember the song? It doesn’t have anything to do with this post, but it is a personal anecdote, so I thought I’d include it.
You have to stop and consider if the advice you’re giving is legit? Does it have merit beyond sounding good?
Too much advice is given that isn’t legit. It’s flowery words, fluff, junk food for the leader’s mind.
We can’t give out advice that doesn’t work. That’s not legit. It’s whack, as they would say.
Make sure what you’re advising is valid. If it’s not, you’re hurting the ones you’re leading. More importantly, you’re hurting your credibility when they find out you don’t know what you’re talking about.
