The Thursday before the 2017 holiday break my garage door wouldn’t open. Both cars were trapped inside. I realized this less than an hour before I had to pick up my kids from school and two hours before I had to head into the city for a meeting. Panicked, I called the emergency repair company that fixed it the last two times only to be told they had no availability until Saturday. I explained the situation, stranded kids, trapped cars and was then told they could come Friday. Better, but still didn’t solve the immediate problem.
Options:
- Write a nasty review of the company online. I considered it. But that also wouldn’t solve my problem.
- Lift it manually after all, I have been going to the gym. Didn’t budge an inch. Stop laughing!
- Ask for help.
Asking for help is sometimes the last thing we think of and the easiest way to solve a problem.
I called my best friend who lived walking distance from my house and uncomfortably asked if I could borrow a car. Not a small ask in my mind. Without hesitation she said yes. I then explained I needed to drive it to Harrison and go into the city, not just around town. She said, “That’s fine.” Huh, I thought, that just solved all my problems.
I get that it is hard to ask for help, really I do. That call was hard for me to make. But had the request been in reverse, I would have said yes too.
You know it feels good when you can be the one to say yes, so don’t stop someone else from having that good feeling. Ask for help, that’s the one thing you must do.
Not everyone can help with everything, but it really doesn’t hurt to ask. You can also remind yourself how to ask and check out my blog post on the topic.
What do you need help with? Do you think I can help? If so, ask. You can help me too. Recommend me as a speaker or trainer for your next event.
Let me know what you asked for lately and how it paid off.
