Have you ever had someone ask for advice, but you knew that regardless of what you told them, they would still do what they had already decided to do? Situations like that can be annoying and frustrating, and you might wonder why they even asked you in the first place, especially if they weren’t going to actually listen.

Since this is the case, it would be good to consider if we ever do the same thing to those around us. Do we ask for advice, even though we’ve already decided what we’re going to do? In seeking advice, are we just looking for external validation for what we want to do, or are we actually seeking to make the best decision? And if we know that we’re not going to listen to someone’s opinion, why do ask them in the first place?

Getting counsel from wise and trustworthy people is smart to do, but it only makes sense to seek it if we’re actually going to listen and act accordingly.