All information is not created equal.

If you’re reading a Web news outlet, the author is most likely paid to generate clicks.

If you are reading a survey or white paper sponsored by a vendor, the purpose of that publication is probably to increase the odds you will eventually buy something from the vendor.

If you are on a social media platform, the goal of the platform is to keep you on that site as long as possible (often by getting you angry or agitated).

But if you are communicating with a trusted friend, his or her goal is most likely to help you.

So, who is most trustworthy and useful to you?

There is no one universal answer to that question, but I hope you see where I’m going: it helps to know the motivation of the person or group who provided you with information, data, or recommendations.

With every passing year, each of us encounters more noise and fewer signals. In other words, the ratio of useful information is getting smaller and smaller. Sorting through the clutter is getting harder. This is ironic, because it’s the opposite of what most experts once predicted: that we would have data everywhere by now, bringing us insights that make us smarter.

To that, I would simply say: how many surprises has your business had in the past couple of years? It doesn’t feel anything like we have all the answers.

Choose your source of information carefully. Most of us—myself included—would benefit from cutting out some of our sources and adding a few much more useful experts and objective perspectives.

Personally, I love asking my clients and close associates: where do you get your best information? In many cases, they mention one or two people they actually know and trust, rather than any sort of mass media source.

You can’t make good decisions unless you have good information, and that requires having accurate and insightful sources.