It is commonly said that no one is an island of knowledge. Only God is the omniscient, knowing all things and everything consisting in Him alone. To live a good life therefore, we will need the counsel of other people so that we have a smoother ride than them. This means knowing their mistakes, their wisest decisions, their approach to situations and their relationship with people, and so on.
Learning from people's experiences helps you to avoid unneccesary moves, shady deals, detrimental career choices, and so on. Whereas living life just ignorantly makes you vulnerable to mistakes, which eventually slows down your progress or compels you to live in mediocrity. In listening to counsels however, it is important to get good counsel, rather than listening to words that are only pleasurable to you.
A counsellor in this regard could be an elder, a senior colleague, a successful business person, etc. Someone whom your path in life fits into his too and can give you ideas to enhance your growth too.
A counsellor is also someone who checks your excesses and can correct your mistakes and probably scold you when you misbehave. He is someone you trust enough to point you in the right direction in life and someone you dear to a large extent.
Your own counsellor could be your parent or an uncle or aunt, your pastor or any spiritual leader, your friend or a person you have chosen as a mentor.
Having counsellors help you to live a life of responsibility, of accountability and a life of purpose. This eventually results into a productive and a successful life. Do not live life by chance or live on your own wisdom alone. Surround yourself with people of substance, people who are able to tell you the truth at all times, even if it will hurt you or annoy you.
Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.
