quotations about advice
Human nature, when it will not receive advice, is like a stony plain without grass, animals will not approach, all remain at a distance from it.
SIR THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES
The History of Java, vol. 2
Giving free advice is a sad waste of effort. In the first place, no man will act upon it unless he is already inclined to do so. Secondly, when a man lays his case before you, the idea that he is asking your advice is a polite fabrication. He merely is suggesting that he is doing so, while as a fact his real object is to acquaint you with his personal activity. He wants to talk to somebody, being a natural gossip or gadder, and he plays upon your propensity for "giving advice" in order to get an audience.
WILLIAM HENRY MCMASTERS
"On the Matter of Advice"
Show me a wife who doesn't offer advice and I'll show you one who doesn't care very much.
BARBARA BUSH
attributed, Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much
The character of giving advice often makes us accountable for the conduct of those we advise.
NORMAN MACDONALD
Maxims and Moral Reflections
No one wants advice, only corroboration.
JOHN STEINBECK
The Winter of our Discontent
Advice is about doing what meets the client's objectives and that can include things that you wouldn't do yourself.
CARMEN REICHMAN
"Percival: Don't be scared of giving the right advice", Professional Advisor, March 3, 2016
Free advice is often overpriced.
E. C. MCKENZIE
Mac's Giant Book of Quips & Quotes
It is as easy to give advice to yourself as to others, and as useless.
AUSTIN O'MALLEY
Keystones of Thought
Good advice is rarer than rubies.
SALMAN RUSHDIE
East, West
Advice is only rarely requested with the intention of being followed. Sometimes, it is requested in order to flatter the advisor. Sometimes, it is requested because it is hoped that the advice given will tell a great deal about the advisor. Sometimes, the request is an excuse for spending time with the advisor, because his or her room is nicer.... Occasionally, the request for advice is an introductory sentence, a polite preface to a lengthy statement of the requester's opinion. Asking for advice can also be a way of apologizing for numerous occasions when advice or orders have not been followed in the past.
NORMAN SARTORIUS
Fighting for Mental Health
Giving advice is many times only the privilege of saying a foolish thing one's self, under the pretense of hindering another from doing one.
ALEXANDER POPE
"Thoughts on Various Subjects"
I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.
OSCAR WILDE
An Ideal Husband
A woman seldom asks advice before she has bought her wedding clothes.
JOSEPH ADDISON
The Spectator, Sep. 4, 1712
Advice is like rain that soaks everything without being sought.
TIMOTHY BROOK
The Troubled Empire
If individuals hesitate to ask for advice out of a worry others will perceive them as less competent, they lose the ability to learn through advice -- and organizations will fail to take advantage of one of the central reasons for putting people together in a workplace.
STEVE KELMAN
"Don't hesitate to ask for advice!", The Lectern, February 29, 2016
I love when someone I'm asking for advice tells me they've gone through the exact same thing I have, and I even love when, as they continue talking, it becomes clear that it's not the same thing at all. I love hearing advice I wanted to hear, because then I feel right. But I also like hearing advice I don't agree with, because then I get to feel right and superior, which are two of my favorite feelings to have.
KATIE HEANEY
"Why I've Stopped Giving And Asking For Advice", Buzzfeed, March 1, 2016
When my daughter was small I looked forward to giving her advice. In fact, I sincerely believe she also enjoyed it. For the most important thing a Dad can do is get his child ready for life. Not that I ever thought I was ready but at least I have been able to survive my years. She used to sit real close to me or on my lap and I would explain the mysteries of life to her. I would tell her of morals and ethics that made life as good as it can possibly be. Years later, when my daughter hit the wonderful teenage years, she didn't accept my advice as she did in the past. In fact, she obviously dreaded it. However, I gave it to her anyway because I wanted her to survive her teenage years.
JIM FABIANO
"The terrifying concept of giving advice", Seacoast Online, February 23, 2016
Many receive advice, few profit by it.
PUBLILIUS SYRUS
Moral Sayings
A sort of itch for settling other people's destinies, and so gaining a title to their curses for our pragmatical and fatal interference, is the commonest of all forms of sanctioned lunacy.
CHARLES READE
Love Me Little, Love Me Long
Another problem with advice is that the advisor seldom understands the full implications of the problem. When people share their concerns with us, they often display only the "tip of the iceberg." The advisor is unaware of the complexities, feelings, and the many other factors that lie hidden beneath the surface.
ROBERT BOLTON
People Skills