Why do we always have the best advice for our friends but make the worst choices for ourselves? Science explains the paradox—and how to fix it.
Why You’re a Great Life Coach for Your Friends but Completely Clueless About Your Own Problems Ever noticed how you’re basically Dr. Phil when your friends need advice, but when it’s your own life? Total trainwreck. You can break down someone’s toxic relationship like a seasoned therapist, drop some financial wisdom like a Wall Street guru, and even give step-by-step strategies on how to move on from an ex. But when it’s your problem? Your brain suddenly goes into “404 Error: Logic Not Found.” “Why is it that I can clearly see what’s best for my friends, but when it’s me, I’m out here making the worst decisions of my life?” Your Brain Is Playing Tricks on You Turns out, science has an answer for why we’re all walking contradictions. There’s something called Solomon’s Paradox—the phenomenon where we’re way better at giving advice than taking it ( source ). Why Does This Happen? 🔬 Psychologists found that when we think about other people’s problems, we take a step back, see t...