The assertion argues that personal experience is superior to the advice of friends and family. While personal experience is certainly valuable, it is also true that advice received through friends and family is invaluable. An often repeated adage holds that ‘the best way to learn is by doing. One need not look far to find examples of people who learned life lessons through personal experience, ranging from environmental awareness to religious conversion. Yet many examples can be found of individuals who learned valuable lessons from the advice they received from others.

While personal experience is certainly valuable, it can be hindered by external factors. For example, one’s friends may lead one to believe something is true when it is false. While most people realize this, some do not, and may end up repeating false information. On the other hand, friends and family can provide motivation, guidance, and support in difficult situations, such as dealing with the death of a loved one. Likewise, friends and family can provide moral support when one is struggling. In addition, friends and family can lend advice when seeking solutions to various problems.

While there is much to be said for the value of personal experience, it can sometimes be difficult to learn from one’s own experience. For example, one’s perspective may be limited. If one lacks perspective, it is difficult to learn from one’s mistakes. In times of crisis, inexperience can cause one to panic or act ineffectively. Also, individuals who do not learn from their own experience become repetitive and may not learn new methods of doing things. Advice from friends and family provides a fresh perspective, and can often help one to avoid past mistakes, develop a new method, or instill a perspective that was previously lacking.

It is also true that friends and family can provide support during times of crisis. Friends can provide emotional as well as practical support. For example, a friend who is grieving the death of a loved one can lend emotional support when talking to friends or family members. A family member, on the other hand, can provide practical support by helping with tasks, babysitting, or providing a meal. An advantage of advice given by friends and family is that they are likely to have experienced a similar situation and can offer advice on how to handle it. While friends and family cannot always be relied upon to provide sound advice, they are more likely to offer advice that is based on experience than the advice of people who have not been through a similar situation.

Another advantage of advice from friends and family is that one is likely to receive advice from people who are knowledgeable about a subject. For example, a family doctor can impart information regarding current medications and suggest ways to avoid the side-effects. Friends can provide useful information on recreational activities or restaurants, and can be trusted to give accurate reviews. This knowledge allows individuals to avoid making costly mistakes.

While it is true that personal experience is valuable, it can sometimes be difficult to come by. Friends and family can provide support in times of crisis and can provide valuable advice from people who have experienced a similar situation. For these reasons, experience received from friends and family can be invaluable.