When you look for the right advice, always check a source. By diligently evaluating sources’ credibility, you can save time and disappointment if something goes wrong. How much is the information reliable? From where does his information come? It this opinion come from independent sources? Is it subjective or objective advice?
What kind of source it is, depends on our actions and sometimes the future. If we do not consider our cause, we can stay in the dark, surrounded by false and harmful information.
Do friends want to protect you?
How often did you hear that something is too complicated, too expensive, that it is not for us, and so on? Friends, relatives, and parents want us just the best. Of course, if your friends are right and wish you the best. I mean these friends who do not let you alone in stressful situations. Kings had many friendly satellites at the peak of their reign. Just something changed, somebody as a mighty king took over, and all friends of the first king turned their backs on him.
Be thankful for friends
Good friends are our stable haven and comfort. But in areas where your future, goals, and business are considered, you need to choose a reliable source to seek advice. Our friends want us the best. They want to protect us from pain, failures, and disappointment. What is the most crucial thing they want to keep us in their company? Sometimes they object to our growth. They prefer for us to stay at the same level of evolution as they are. There can be plenty of reasons why they want to stop you or provide information from their point of view or their experience.
Check the reliability of the source
Check the qualification of people from whom you get recommendations. Who are these people? What have they achieved in their lives? What credentials do they have? If you have questions regarding your health, see the doctor instead of looking for advice from friends.
It is best not to talk about your dreams. Please keep it for yourself and reach for it until everything is achieved. Sometimes, if we are in doubt, we can quickly move out of the decided way at the moment of weakness. It is best to have people around who are reliable people everywhere who achieved similar goals. Achievers will understand you. People who want to do something but are afraid can try to change their opinion. It is best to keep quiet. If you fail, you will get up, shake up, and go forward.
If you look for advice, consider people who have already achieved their life results, which are your example. The best source already did the action, visible through achievements and outcomes.
Decide what you want to achieve
It is essential to have a starting point to know what kind of your goal is.
Do you need to buy a car or a computer? Do you want to start the business online? Would you like to have the freedom to do what you want? Do you want to learn how to speak in the big auditorium?
You can look for a reliable source when you know what you want. For example, the information about cars found on websites with customer feedback, in Wikipedia, manuals with advice from mechanics who repair these cars.
To start the business online, you need to know what kind of company it is and does it offers you knowledge from beginning to end. Is this company trustworthy? Do you need to pay for the service ahead of time? Do they let you try things by yourself and let you decide if it is right for you or not?
Feedback from happy customers and word of mouth helps decide whether these services are excellent.
Choose the best information sources
Magazines such as Forbes and Bloomberg News have recognized sources for people interested in financial success. Magazine Nature is an interdisciplinary scientific reference for scientists and individuals who want to educate themselves. Now there are online versions of these magazines. You need to pay a subscription fee, but it is nothing to compare with the expertise and advice you get from them.
Libraries and librarians are gold mines. You ask and find references to your topics. Most important that librarians are people who value knowledge and curiosity. They are polite and willing to help what is right if it is free.
Nowadays, there is so much fake news around. Evaluating the source’s credibility is a must. The best way to check is to use independent sources such as BBC News or NPR, which support public membership and donations without ties. Typing in Google the topic of what interests you and the word feedback will show you fishy.
Truth shows sooner or later. It does not hide too long.
Scientific magazines publish articles that are credible sources. Of course, you need to check who stands behind them and what kind of organization stands behind them. For example, medical research can be foggy because big Pharma wants to present drugs in the best light despite various side effects.
Follow the leaders
You can subscribe to their newsletter if you have your favorite person, an example, and a role model for you. I have newsletters from Robin Sharma, Dr. Carolyn Dean, and Timothy Ferriss. These titans offer free invaluable information in their presented fields.
The famous Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, and dramatist Seneca said books could serve as mentors and friends. We do not see people who wrote them, but wisdom is here and will be forever.
Think about an area where you would like to be successful. Following the steps of people, who are the beacons for you, you will open more doors to unknown sources.
Wrapping up
You can succeed in evaluating sources’ credibility by turning to reliable sources. Magazines such as Atlantic, Wired, New Yorker, Bloomberg News, and Washington Post are sources of news, facts, and independent research. TED talks and other TED events are invaluable credible places where you can learn about achievements, discoveries, and victories of science and humanity. By carefully evaluating sources’ credibility, you will find better information about your topic than data from questionable places such as social media or newspapers owned by big corporations.
Update. It is a pity that the sources mentioned above are not reliable anymore. Washington Post lost over 500.000 subscribers during the last two years. Why? People were fooled, and it cost lives.
How about you? Do you have experience picking and evaluating sources’ credibility? It would be nice to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.