The person you trust should not have to perform helplessness to keep receiving guidance.

Some helpers stay engaged only while the other person is struggling. Competence gets a cooler reception than confusion, so the one being helped learns to bring a smaller version of themselves in order to keep the connection. It is rarely deliberate on either side, and it can carry on for years unnamed.

If you advise people, notice whether you enjoy their questions more than their progress. If you are the one being advised, try bringing good news and see what happens next.