If you start a business, there’s a good chance that you started it to help solve a problem that you once had. Learning to serve your past self is a powerful way to serve others, as you likely know their problems on a level that others don’t.
The same comes from advice. If you’re giving advice to someone, it’s likely in response to a mistake that you made earlier in life. Being able to help others by way of your past mistakes is wildly helpful.
In his book “Steal Like An Artist“, author Austin Kleon puts it this way:
“It’s one of my theories that when people give you advice, they’re really just talking to themselves in the past.”
This is not a bad thing. If you find that some is just “really talking to themselves in the past”, take it in! This person has faced before what you’re facing now, and may have some solid advice for you. It’s highly situational, of course, but taking some time to listen will likely be worth your time.
