I was wearing old boots with holes, standing in six inches of snow — and HE asked me for advice.

A few years ago, I found myself doing what I do best: getting into hiking situations I was not entirely prepared for...

I was visiting Seattle and decided to tackle a hike called Mailbox Peak.
9.5 miles.
4,000 feet of elevation gain.
And me… equipped like a guy going for a walk in the park.

I headed out around noon with:
- A Nalgene bottle.
- Two granola bars.
- A rain jacket about as thick as tissue paper.
- And a pair of 10-year-old boots that would’ve failed even the most generous waterproofing test.

About 30 minutes in, frost started covering the trail.
Slippery? Yep.
But I did what any prepared hiker does… found two walking sticks and kept going.

Not long after, I passed a guy sitting on a log strapping crampons — actual metal spikes — onto his boots. That should’ve been my first sign.

As I kept climbing, the frost turned to a dusting of snow… then a few inches. Eventually I was trudging through nearly 6 inches of snow, with water slowly seeping through my well-aged boots.

But the skies were calm, and I figured: “I’ve made it this far.”

A little higher, the trail opened into a clearing. There I met another hiker coming down — decked out like an REI catalog.

Real hiking boots.
Trekking poles.
Multiple layers.
The works.

I asked how much farther to the top.
He said: “I’ve done this hike many times. But today? I stopped short. The winds up there were insane. I was worried I’d literally get blown off the mountain.”

Then he paused. Looked up.
It was oddly calm where we stood.

And then, completely sincerely, he asked:
“Maybe I was overreacting… What do you think? Should I go back up?”

And I just stood there — drenched boots, soggy socks, two random sticks in my hands — thinking, "Buddy…  I am not your guy."

So I glanced down.
Slowly, I raised my sticks.
He looked at them.
Looked at me.
Paused.
Said, “Yep,” and headed down the mountain.

The lesson?
In business… In leadership... In life… We all seek advice. Feedback. Reassurance.

The danger isn’t in asking questions — it’s in who we’re asking.
Are we asking people who have been there?
Or someone who is standing there with two sticks in their hands?

Feedback is only as good as its source.

Experience matters.
Context matters.
Perspective matters.

And sometimes, the most useful advice is recognizing:
This may not be the right person to answer my question.