There is no doubt I give very good advice, but whether or not I take it is another story. A while back I did a guest post on Sara Laughed all about what to do when you realize you need academic help. It is chock full of great tips on going to your school’s tutoring center, talking it out with your professor, and forming a study group. I had been fortunate that I was able to do well in my classes without having to take these measures, however this is not proving true for my managerial accounting course.
I’m in this class now and, let me tell you it is difficult for me! I sit down to do the homework and I hardly know where to begin. I realized pretty early on that I would not be able to do as well as I wanted without asking for help. It was strange for me to seek academic help because I’ve always prided myself on being able to tackle any class by relying on my own hard work. After thinking about it for a while I figured that it wasn’t worth it for me to spend hours puzzling over problems when I could go to someone who has a better understanding than me. So, off to the tutoring center I went and after coming out of my first session I felt great!
Why is it that we are so hesitant to ask for help? Why do we think that seeking guidance is a sign of weakness or unworthiness? I can’t think of a single successful person who did everything on her own. Tackling all the difficulties you face by yourself is just awful! Think about it this way: you’re like a ship, navigating the waters of life (it’s about to get real poetic here). There are calm days where you can just easily float by, but then there are days when the sea gets rough and there are waves and you’re in the eye of the storm. Would you want just one guy on your deck saying, “Don’t worry, I can handle this. We made it through just fine before, no need to take on any extra hands.” NO! Of course that wouldn’t be what you’d want. You’d want an expert captain and capable deckhands and a superb lookout. You’d want a team of qualified seamen getting your ship through the storm. So why wouldn’t we want the same thing in real life?
For me, it comes down to pride (one of the seven deadly sins, so this is really something I need to work on!). I like to take pride in the fact that I can figure things out myself and don’t need others. But I can be so much better when I let people help me! And that’s the ultimate goal, isn’t it? To be better. To grow and improve. I can’t do it alone, so I am seeking help.
We can all benefit from the expertise of others so I’d encourage you to look for those who know more than you and learn from them! Ask questions, admit you can’t do it all yourself, and watch just how much you improve.
How do you feel about asking for help?
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