This is a really tough ask, but seek out the things you don’t want to hear.
Why do I say this? I have only grown as a person when I was told things that I didn’t want to hear. An honest friend would explain to me that my ideas or feelings were not the only perspective I could have on this. It is natural for us to think we are right, but in fact, most of the time we are wrong.
To be honest, I continually find each day things that I am ignorant about. That’s part of the reason why I learn each day. The more that I learn, the more that I see that I need to learn. So when a conversation happens, I am very slow to suggest that my ideas are the best or even helpful.
Now this doesn’t mean that people who don’t have your best intentions in mind should listen to you. However, it is also true that sometimes an enemy or someone who doesn’t care about you at all gives you good advice. You should always consider the source, but you should also consider that the source may be speaking the truth.
We see the people in life who never have anyone tell them their ideas suck or they are ignorant. They glide through life on the certainty that their way is the best way. Never realizing all of the people they hurt and kill with their attitude. We can not control others actions but we can control our own. We can look to always find evidence for our beliefs, and we can always consider the bigger picture no matter how well-intentioned we are.
Often the most intelligent thing to do in life is to shut up. People seem to need to learn the consequences of their mistakes, no matter how well you explain them. I have learned to shut up, and let people I love make mistakes because that is how they learn. Then when they are ready to learn and ask for my help, I help them.
Don’t offer to help someone until they ask for it. Unfortunately, too many people have too much pride to ask for help. Don’t be one of them.