I always thought that big dreams take big actions. But little did I know, small steps often lead to great chances.
In my younger years, I used to believe that intelligence or wealthiness or hard work were the only tickets to success. Then I came across the story of Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder and it totally changed how I perceive success.
When he was just 12, Jobs had the guts to phone Bill Hewlett—co-founder of Hewlett-Packard—to ask for some spare parts since they were working on a school project together. Think about that for a second: A 12-year-old kid calling up some bigwig he doesn’t even know? It blew my mind.
But what got me wasn’t just that he made the call; it was that he asked. Jobs didn’t let himself be held back by fear or self-doubt —he had a vision. He saw an opportunity and took it, no matter what might happen.
In light of Jobs’ story, I noticed that I had often restrained myself because of my own insecurities. How many chances have I missed just because I was too scared to ask?
The answer shocked me: too many.
So, I resolved to change. I developed a motto which still guides me today: “Will I be any worse off than I am now by asking for this opportunity?” The answer is almost always no. And armed with that belief, I began taking steps.
I started small – asking for little things here and there. And you know what? More often than not, people were willing to help.
Whether it was asking for advice, seeking mentorship or requesting opportunities, I found that when approached with humility and sincerity, most people are open-hearted.
Certainly, not every request yielded success. There were plenty of rejections along the way. But what failure taught me to do is embrace it as part of the journey. Each rejection taught me something new and made the successes all the sweeter.
Among the most important things that I have learned is that saying “no” to something is the worst thing another person can say. Actually, what is so bad about that? A negative response does not lower your value or potential at all. It only means this opportunity was not for you, and it’s okay.
Expressing our desires empowers us. This demonstrates self-assurance, proactiveness as well as risk-taking attitude. It changes us from being passive and waiting for chances into becoming active and creating them ourselves.
I have witnessed how requesting opened up new doors before my eyes. When a person dares to ask, they could end up with anything; from getting employed to starting fresh ventures or even forming strong bonds.
Therefore, if fear or lack of self-confidence has been holding back anyone who happens to be reading this now, then I implore such an individual to trust their instincts and go ahead anyway by making requests (asking). Because as far as you are concerned there is nothing at stake except everything being gained.
What we should always keep in mind is; plenty of opportunities lie unexplored across the globe awaiting someone’s action towards them! Nevertheless, they will not come knocking on your door unless you take action first by going out there – so be bold enough, close your eyes then ask! Trust me; the results will leave tongues wagging beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.
