What is interesting about advice is there is a lot of advice about advice. There is a Norwegian Proverb that says: "Ask for advice and then use your brain."
Advice comes from the Old French (13th century) word, avis meaning "in my view." Ultimately, the idea is from the Latin---the past participle of videre meaning "to see."
I have had numerous examples in my life when I didn't take heed of advice and did take and implement advice. Both had consequences--one (as it turned out) not so good, the other --life-saving.
There have been other times when I took "bad" advice and got a "bum steer" which is a figure of speech meaning poor quality and just plain 'bad' advice. I definitely learned from the ramifications of such ill-advised decisions, but I was ultimately responsible for accepting someone else's viewpoint and opinion.
Giving and receiving advice has its place. Both can be appropriate given the proposal and the course of action. But one must be wary of understanding not only the message of someone's viewpoint, but the messenger of that counsel.
I have three points which help me discern the quality and intent of someone's idea or observation when it comes to their advice to me.
1. Do I trust the person? Has the past shown a record of this person having my back and giving me earlier advice that turned out to be good and beneficial?
2. Does the person understand and know me and my situation versus advice given by an acquaintance or even a stranger? Like the saying goes, 'Don't base your life decisions off the advice of people who don't have to live with the results.'
3. Does the person have your best interest at heart, a heart that is truly loving and kind and who is not coming from a place of selfish or judgmental motives?
There are times when the most difficult decision we make is whether to even ask for advice. If we do, we are implicitly saying to the person with whom we seek counsel, "Yes, I welcome the advice." Don't solicit advice if you don't want to listen and carefully consider possible action.
There are other times when advice is neither good or bad. It is offered and it ends up being no better or worse than someone telling you to take a different set of road directions to a destination or what to take to a concert.
When you get advice (either by asking for it or getting it anyway) remember to weigh it, give it consideration, then figure out if it is important enough to take heed. You, alone, will be accountable for the consequences. At the critical crossroads of life decisions, follow your heart and travel forward...