"I should be able to do this myself"
"I don't want to ask, it will make me look stupid"
"I should already know that, so I'm just going to keep quiet and look it up later"
These are the things we tell ourselves when we are struggling. Whether it's the completion of a skilled task or recalling prerequisite knowledge, nobody likes to reach out and admit that we don't know what we might need to.
This is especially true for those of you who are beyond the beginner's stage. Examples might be...
(1) Martial Artist: Asking how to do a basic wrestling takedown.
(2) Nutritionist: Asking what foods are richest in polyunsaturated fat.
(3) Doctor: Asking the dosage of a commonly prescribed medication.
(4) Personal Trainer: Asking for assistance with planning training.
Imposing a "should" expectation on yourself and then not getting assistance is a certain path to not improving. This perspective is understandable, as we all feel like we should know more than we do, be more skilled than we are, and so on.
However, it's important to shift this mindset if you wish to reach your potential in any area of life. If you decide not to ask for help, you may eventually overcome that barrier, but it might take you 6 months instead of 6 minutes. Taking the initial hit to the ego saves you having to take many more over subsequent weeks, months, and years.
If you can free yourself from the shackles of your pride, you will reap the rewards. It will take time, but this character development will also be very clear to others, who will appreciate you being humble enough to ask them for help, and they will also appreciate your demonstration of respect for their expertise.
Want to get as fit, strong and healthy as you can?
Hire a trainer.
Want to get as competent at carpentry as you can?
Spend time with a carpenter.
Want to learn CPR to be of assistance to your community?
Go to a CPR course.
Want to overcome issues you are having with parenting?
Maybe ask your own parents, or other parents who have had multiple kids (and did a good job...).
Reach out. Ask. Your future self will be better for it!
