Motivation Quote by Amy Alcott

A curt little boundary disguised as common sense, Amy Alcott's line lands because it refuses the most normalized form of small-scale control: unsolicited correction. In sports, "advice" often masquerades as generosity, but it can be a power move - a way to announce expertise, manage someone else's choices, or soothe your own anxiety by coaching the world into order. Alcott's phrasing is blunt, almost coach-like, and that's the point: it's a rule you can actually run in real time.

The intent isn't anti-learning; it's pro-consent. "Unless you're asked" turns guidance into a transaction with mutual buy-in. It protects the receiver from being turned into a project, and it protects the giver from the ego trap of thinking their perspective is inherently needed. Subtext: most advice isn't about the other person, it's about the adviser wanting to feel useful, smart, or in control.

As an athlete, Alcott speaks from a culture where feedback is constant and stakes are measurable. A swing tweak, a training note, a mental cue - these things matter, but they only work when timing and receptivity align. Unwanted input can clutter focus, undermine confidence, or create noise right before performance. Off the course, the same dynamic shows up in parenting, relationships, and workplaces: the "helpful" comment that quietly communicates, "I don't trust you to handle this."

The line works because it's not preachy; it's procedural. Ask first. Earn the opening. Then, and only then, the advice has a chance to be heard as support rather than judgment.