Asking for Help is Developmental

I am a consummate do-it-yourself-er (DIYer).  I like the challenge of learning new things, I love the creative process, and saving money/time is a great upside too.

While the DIY impulse is good for creativity, it has a professional downside; you lessen the capability to ask for help.

The availability of information on the internet makes it even more tempting to solve a problem immediately by looking it up; there are rich conversations we no longer have with our colleagues, friends and family on how to do things because we think we can find it all by our selves (or online).  

What this does is build the “muscle” of self-sufficiency, almost to a fault, as it can feel like you should know how to figure everything out - you get “rusty” at asking for help, feeling more vulnerable about doing it, so yo do it less and less.  

It also serves to diminish your patience with yourself, reducing your resilience to stick with the learning curve (everything should happen in easy-to-follow steps, just like on You Tube, or be as efficient as watching a TED Talk).

The learning curve is a really important tool in professional and personal development.  

It means letting go of “knowing” and become open to “not knowing”.  

This simple act is the first step in any kind of development, and it is rich.  

It helps you to be more accepting of uncertainty and your own limits, and in that acceptance, more able to connect with, and trust, others to share your challenges.  

The awkwardness you experience along the way means this is important, important enough to stay with discomfort in pursuit of something bigger than yourself.

Something you can only achieve by opening yourself to the wisdom and support of others

I'm here to help.  You'll learn what development activities are best for where you want to go in your career and leave knowing where to find them.

Carpe Diem!