Make The Ask

WHAT separates the men from the boys, the women from the girls?  To paraphrase it, WHAT differentiates us adults from children?  And WHAT differentiation really stands out hands down?  Any guess dude?  You're spot on.  Children ASK more often than us adults?  The cynics would quickly defend themselves by claiming they ASK a lot of questions at the workplace.  Oh, c'mon, that's the workplace dude.  So, WHEN was the last time you ASKED ANYONE ANYTHING?  And HOW often you do ASK ANYONE ANYTHING???

YES dude, admit it OR not, there's this hang-up with us adults.  WHETHER it's asking for help, OR asking for advice, OR asking for a mentor OR coach, for the longest time I've generally observed that we adults find that ASKING itself is a ROADBLOCK that we inadvertently put in our own way.  Is it because we're afraid of REJECTION OR WHEN we like raise our hand for help, it will appear that we are "LESS THAN"???

Surprisingly, in many researches by experts, their results prove things otherwise.  Those studies found the opposite to be true instead.  THAT generally, people want to help each other.  And WHEN we're vulnerable, gracious and transparent in our ASKING, it opens the door for opportunity.  And the reality of the situation is that we CAN'T do it alone, even if we wanted to.  In my very first [business] trip to Japan [around 8 years ago], I arrived Tokyo quite late in the night and it was drizzling.  Worse, there were very few people walking WHOM I can ASK for help🙏🙏🙏

WHEN finally there was a lady passerby, I approached her and luckily, I had a handful of introductory Nihongo words to help me out.  So, WHEN I said 'sumimasen', she stopped and bowed.  That's WHEN I said I need help because I CAN'T locate the hotel WHERE I'm billeted.  WHAT happened next?  She guided me all the way to my hotel up to its very entrance😀😀😀

Our takeaway:  Besides our apprehension that we will be perceived to be "LESS THAN', more often, the ugly side of PRIDE kicks in.  And that can be our worst nemesis because if PRIDE remains to be roadblock before you can MAKE THE ASK, WHAT will happen to us if we need help OR guidance OR clarification BUT keep things close to our chest?  C'mon dude, the reality of the situation is that generally, we CAN'T do it alone, even if we wanted to.  To ride on English Poet John Donne's poem, NO MAN IS AN ISLAND dude❗❗❗