People seek advice to improve their circumstances, their performance, their outlooks and their lives. That’s good. Too often people heed each piece of advice they get, yielding an erratic path from point A to point B…the short, straight line is now a mile long and the straight line begins to looks like an EKG pattern.

Using these steps regarding advice and counsel of any kind will straighten out your path.

1. Have a dream, a goal, a vision…something to constitute Point B. Be true to yourself and your aspirations.  They can set a direction without being the achievable goal.  For example, I am crowding 60 years old and I would love to run the 800 meter run in 1:55.  I missed my opportunity to do that when I was younger.  I could train like a mad man now and still not be able to do it.  But, the aspiration could lead me to a running or fitness achievement that gives me an age-appropriate sense of speed, achievement and strength.
2. Trust that you have most of the answer already.  It is YOUR answer.  It is your ambition.  Years ago, I met with each employee on my team and we talked privately for 30 minutes about what each one’s ambition was so that I could better match their life’s ambitions—be they bold or simple—with their work at the office.  Your heart carries ambitions; it also carries the answers on how to achieve them.  The magic is releasing the answers and using them.
3. Gather advice as input, not commandment, to enhance what you know and have.  Don’t look to others for ways to transform you to a new person, but a better you.   To unleash the fully empowered you.  To enable you to be fully…you, complete with your dreams, aspirations, ambitions, desires and goals.  They all matter. Trying to apply everything (or even just a substantial amount) from every source of wisdom (people, books, programs, classes, newsletters, ad infinitum) will prevent you from improving, not enhance it.
4. Discern from the wisdom and knowledge you have obtained to fine tune your processes, thoughts, abilities and direction.  Most times, great information and ideas are best served to put a finer edge on your blade, to polish the stone, to prune the tree, to….you get my point.
5. Trust your gut, your instincts, your subconscious and your heart.  Set aside quiet time each day to listen to yourself.  Then act.  Move.  Create.  Be a verb of action and not simply condition.

Beware the coach, consultant, advisor, mentor, colleague or partner who says, “I have the answer. My way is the only right way.” Rarely is that true.