If you want to make the wrong decision, ask everyone.
There's a real trap hiding in our instinct to seek advice before making decisions. The more people you ask, the more you're essentially averaging out everyone's fears, biases, and life circumstances—which rarely match yours. Your neighbor's anxiety becomes your caution. Your colleague's regret becomes your hesitation. By the time you've consulted enough people to feel confident, you're not really following your own judgment anymore; you're following the loudest or most persuasive voice in the room, or worse, the consensus of people who don't actually have to live with your choice.
This doesn't mean never ask for input. But there's a hidden cost to treating every decision like a poll. The people who tend to make good decisions aren't the ones who ask the most questions—they're the ones who get clear on what matters to them first, then seek specific information to fill real gaps in their knowledge. They ask a surgeon about surgery risks, not their uncle about whether they should have it.
The real skill is knowing when you're gathering wisdom versus when you're gathering permission. One sharpens your thinking; the other just dilutes it.
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Sign inNaval Ravikant is a successful entrepreneur, investor, and author, known for his expertise in the field of technology and startup companies. He is the co-founder of AngelList and has gained popularity for his insightful thoughts on happiness, wealth, and personal development shared through his popular podcast and social media platforms.