Hope This Helps...
Why am I doing this?
One thing I've learned in my life is that no one has all the answers. Plus, sometimes the most obvious answers are the ones that need to be pointed out to us. I often find little snippets of information in the strangest places, and think to myself – ‘Duh! That's so obvious! Why didn't I figure this out on my own a whole lot sooner? It would have made my life soooo much easier’.
Growing up on a farm, you learn to be self-reliant. Along the way you (sometimes) also develop the perspective that asking for help can be seen as a weakness. Or you're just not used to asking for help; after all, the nearest neighbour is four miles down the road, so you just get used to dealing with and handling your own problems.
But this approach isn't always super-effective.
None of us knows everything. And the minute we try to segue into new territory, we probably will find we know absolutely nothing. This is when asking for help and advice really comes into play. This is why the smartest thing you can do is find someone familiar with the territory, ask for help and learn from their hard-won wisdom.
Now sometimes that's easier said than done. People can be very protectionist about their knowledge (hey, no judgement; everyone's on their own journey, right?). But there are ways around this. Maybe you can source someone amenable and supportive from your pool of personal and/or professional contacts. Maybe you have something you can offer them to create a mutually beneficial reciprocal arrangement. Maybe you'll need to hire them as a coach. The first thing you need to do is ask.
The second thing you need to do is pay it forward. Be open to sharing YOUR wisdom and knowledge with others who are still figuring their stuff out. Which brings me back to my opening sentence – why am I doing this? By this I mean ‘Working On Wisdom’, the blog, and @working.on.wisdom, the Instagram account.
I've done a lot of living in my day. I've hit a lot of walls at full speed, and I've found out a lot of really important, helpful, useful knowledge by doing so, from some really wonderful, smart, helpful people who I have crossed paths with along the way. This is my way of paying it back.
If one person can benefit from my mistakes, or the little snippets of wisdom, or the tips and tricks I've learned along the way, then sharing my s**t is worth it.
Is there some area of your life that could benefit from the wisdom, knowledge and experience of others? If so, get asking.
As always… hope this helps.
