Asking for anything can really feel stressful; we could get a no. And yet there’s no better way to really get what we want than by asking. Of course we know the answer is always no if we don’t ask. Jia Jiang, in his TED Talk, What I Learned From 100 Days of Rejection, talks about getting over his fear of rejection by asking strangers for things that would be an automatic no. He survived his first request, asking a stranger for money; he got a resounding no. He went on to get numerous no’s, and a few surprising yesses, and in the process learned it’s OK to get rejections. When we ask for things, i.e. advice, information, support, we are engaging others and often allowing them the opportunity to give their help and feel inspired in the process. When we can survive the worst-case scenario—an actual no—we can go on to find some amazing and positive responses.
Start to think about who you would like to ask and the best approach. Then take a breath, take a chance and go out and ask. The answers you get might really surprise you!
