People tend to respond to problems differently given the fact that personalities may vary among different individuals. When it comes to the question of whether or not to solve the problem based on one's own experience and knowledge or solicit others advice, I tend to believe that it really depends on the nature of the problem and we can not draw a definitive line here.
On the one hand, a rookie without any experience in a particular field can learn a great deal of knowledge and develop useful skills when learning from an experienced individual. For instance, when my father taught me how to ride a bike, I remember his experience and knowledge were extremely useful. My father sat me on the paddle with one feet hanging in the air, and I hold the handlebar straight and bent my arms a little bit so that I could keep balance. After my dad's instruction and guidance,eventually I learned how to ride a bike. Also, in a working environment, the knowledge and experience of senior employees can be very helpful for someone who hold junior positions in the company. The expertise of senior workers have proven from time to time that a certain strategy of business operation cannot be paralleled by any other approach. Indeed, a recent study done by the National Society of Organizational Behavior indicates that one enjoys a better chance to be successful in his professional life if he gets intensive coaching and training from senior managers during the first two years of his job. Consequently, we can conclude that on some occasions it is beneficial for someone to capitalize on others' experience and knowledge.
On the other hand, for problems, setbacks or major decisions that have a significant impact on the individual's life, it is not rational to be influenced by others' opinions and perspectives. For example, when you have big decisions like which university to attend or whether or not taking on a new career path, it is far better for you to figure it out and sort it through by yourself other than solicit the advice from others. Above all, nobody knows you better than yourself. You are the one who needs to live with the decision and other people won't be the ones with the consequence. Frankly, it takes a lot of courage to stand up and take personal responsibility for your own decision. Any decision made out of assertiveness and confidence should be respected, however, nobody shows any respect to those who are wishy-washy and hesitate to make their own decisions.
In conclusion, we cannot readily draw a definitive line on question of is it better to use your own knowledge and experience than ask others' knowledge and experience to solve problems since it has has to be examined case by case.
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