Don’t Go It Alone: The Power of Asking for Help
Don’t Go It Alone: The Power of Asking for Help
Reflecting on the hidden strength of seeking and giving assistance in life.
Bob Olson is the host of Afterlife TV, author of Answers About The Afterlife and The Magic Mala, and founder of BestPsychicDirectory.com. You’re reading his articles on Bob Olson Connect.
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been sharing a book I wrote for my niece and nephew for graduation about my twelve secrets for a joyful, successful, and fulfilling life. I gave you the first secret of life, which was all about passion. I also gave you the second secret about developing a sense of purpose. Today, the third secret is about asking for help in life.
Even when I created this simple book for my niece and nephew, the adult family members who read it commented on how helpful these secrets were to them. And again, over the past couple of weeks, I have received many thoughtful emails and comments in response to these articles. Even though these were written for younger people graduating from high school and college, these pieces have allowed many of you to reflect on these meaningful subjects in your own lives. It’s fun and valuable to look back at our lives to see how we applied these “secrets” to make us who we are today.
At the end of each article, I’ve written questions that I have asked myself about each secret. We can learn a lot about ourselves by taking the time to consider them. Here’s the third secret.
Secret #3: Ask for Help
"If you don't ask, you don't get."
~ Mahatma Gandhi
Nobody was meant to embark upon life alone. We live in a society of human beings, and within this sea of souls is an unlimited abundance of knowledge and experience on how to create the life of your dreams. All you have to do is ask for help. To live a joyful, successful, and fulfilling life, the third secret of success is to accept the assistance of others.
Many people never ask for help. They either fear rejection or view their need for help as a weakness. The irony is that people love to give help. It gives them fulfillment and a little ego boost. It’s a compliment when you respect someone’s knowledge and experience enough to ask for their guidance or assistance. And people respect others who are wise enough to ask for it.
Another old saying goes, “It’s not what you know but who you know that matters.” This is because you can’t possibly know everything, but you always have access to people who know what you need to know. Therefore, you have unlimited knowledge if you’re willing to ask others for help.