Answered Jul 10, 2019
My willingness to listen to advice includes consideration of their bias.
Do they stand to benefit from me acting upon their advice?
Does their advice involve me forking over money, products, or services, that they will receive? This can be indirect, such as someone who wants to look good to their employer by signing up or maintaining a customer. It can be very direct, down to hand-to-hand “Gimmie!”
Does their advice involve having sex?
Does their advice involve personal validation of their life circumstances or behaviour? Some people have given me advice on life-path. Such as “settling down”, moving to the town where I was born, having children, conceding to a bottom-of-the-barrel job, etc, etc. Just to validate them.
Other advice may be very different.
Does their advice encourage you to make your own choices, based on your own values and agenda?
Does their advice expand your life and your world?
Does their advice involve good logistics? Such as structuring university study towards the goal you already want? Or ideas on approaches to employment? Without them personally profiting from your choices?
Does their advice relate to medical/health matters, with them being a qualified physician? Or a friend encouraging you to take better care of yourself?
Does their advice tell you to steer clear of manipulative/exploitive people?