Anyone out there have trouble asking for help? Yeah, us too.
As we tend to do at FIG, we wondered why is this simple request so fraught with hesitancy, reluctance and inaction? We ALL can use some help sometimes and, we hate to be the bearer of bad news, we’re ALL human and NONE of us have all the answers to everything - seriously, we’re not kidding. This blows up our cavalier notion that we “should” be able to find an answer, “should” be able to figure a way out of a challenging situation, “should” know how to extricate ourselves from a tricky situation, “should” know the right words or pick the right time to have a difficult conversation, “should” know how to look for a job fresh out of college, “should” be able to understand a confusing concept, “should” know how to approach someone we don’t know and strike up a conversation, “should” be able to understand mystifying situations… “should;” “should;” “should.” Silly you, why don’t you know what you don’t know? My Dad has a saying: “Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill every time.” While somewhat cynical, he may, in fact, be on to something. Said more charitably, age, wisdom and experience are the supreme gifts of maturity and living life, and are meant to be shared. Why not benefit from some of THAT? Asking for help will oftentimes paralyze us, but why?