TO RECEIVE, ASK.

While returning to the office on a hot afternoon with some colleagues, we drove past a young man who was trekking. Though he was sweating profusely, he didn’t ask for a ride when our car was approaching. On a second thought, I told the driver to reverse so that we could pick up the young man. Surprisingly, he walked past our car again. Not until we beckoned on him did he even come closer to the car. We then asked him to join us in the car since we were all heading in the same direction and so he did. He later told us that he was even going to our office to resolve some issues. When we got to the office, he was so full of thanks that I then had to ask him why he was slack in asking for a lift in the first place when he saw an opportunity to escape the scorching sun. As expected, he had no solid explanation to back up his lackadaisical attitude. It was at this point that I reasoned that one of the reasons why many fail in life is because they refuse to ask for help - majority fail in business, academics and in life generally because they refuse to ask for guidance. Many starve because they refuse to ask for assistance. Countless opportunities have been lost by many because they failed to ask for help at the appropriate time. The list is endless.

A closed mind never receives. We often miss out of the good things that could easily be obtained because we refuse to ask. We wait endlessly for miracles when all we might have to do is to just ask for the miracles to come to pass. I can’t however guarantee that you will get all the help you require by asking just once. Many a times, you might need to ask several times before you receive the desired. So, be determined. Learn from babies: even when they cannot yet talk, they still cry to protest - and they won’t stop crying till they get what they want. How much more you that can communicate! How often do you compromise your standard because you fail to ask? Why suffer in silence when succor beckons? Why live a frustrated life when help is available? Even though it’s not certain that you’ll receive help each time you ask, but at least asking increases the possibilities of receiving. So why not take the shot! I also agree that asking for help can be humiliating at times, but what do you do when you still need the help anyway? You ask. It doesn’t mean you have to be lazy though, you have to play your part before asking for help (remember that the universe is not structured to favor the indolent). Likewise, tact should be employed: you should know when to ask, how to ask, where to ask, and from whom to ask. Else, your requests and efforts might be in vain.

“If there’s something to gain and nothing to lose by asking, by all means ask” advised W. Clement Stone. Beloved, you’ll definitely need the help of others for one thing or the other and the only way you can get the required help is by asking because mortal men cannot see through your mind to ascertain whether you need help or not. For doors to open, you might have to voice out. So do not hesitate to ask for help whenever you need one. Come out of your shell before you die inside your shell. Swallow your pride before your pride swallows you.

Nothing is impossible; everything is doable. The help you require for that challenging situation has always been there, but for the asking; help is often available, but you might have to ask to receive. So key-in to the vast provisions available to make unprecedented progress in all areas of your life. Be expectant. Be receptive. Be proactive. Be ready. Be determined. Be successful.