There are two big challenges in giving good advice.
1. Tailoring it to the receiver.
It’s easy to simply share what worked (or didn’t work) for us or for someone we perceive to be in a similar situation. It’s harder to empathize with the person in front of us and frame the advice in a way that fits their situation. That’s why useful advice often comes in the form of frameworks derived from first principles. They give the receiver a tool to adapt for themselves.
2. Timing it well.
Even the best advice falls flat if it arrives when the receiver isn’t ready to hear it. This requires empathy, intuition, and emotional intelligence – knowing when someone is open to guidance and when they’re not.
Good advice, as a result, is less about wisdom delivered and more about wisdom received.
