I think I am learning the secret to success: successful people don’t go it alone. They have support! They ask for help.

We all need help. 

We need other people to get through hard times and new situations. We need people who are good at things that are hard for us. We need people who will listen and acknowledge and provide perspective, sometimes other perspectives.
And yet people constantly tell me they don’t want to ask for help!

When did HELP become a four letter word? More specifically, when did asking for advice or recommendations or a reality check become something that’s not okay? When did reaching out become seen as a weakness?

I’m taking a stand for reaching out for what you need; both with new contacts and with old colleagues and friends. I think it’s time we stopped putting a blanket of shame on asking for help. We need each other!

It’s time we celebrated ourselves for getting outside our comfort zone to meet new people, to get information, to get visible and be heard. It’s time we appreciated the value of creating our own communities of support.

I believe that what makes someone rich is having a great support system and solid friendships.

I have learned that what helps people be successful is having a “tribe”.

I know that what makes people feel smart and capable is being a resource. 

The Harvard Business Review published an article about freelance artists who were successful. Each one was committed to networking. Each had a tribe, defined as people they could count on to listen critically and thoughtfully, people who would champion them honestly and people who accepted them. https://hbr.org/2018/04/to-take-charge-of-your-career-start-by-building-your-tribe

These artists said that networking and outreach was outside their comfort zone. But they put effort into networking and they cultivated their “tribes” – because they saw the value in being expansive and connecting, because they realized the benefits of talking about their visions and their dreams and their work. 

I know reaching out doesn’t come easily and naturally to many of us. You might need help:) That’s why I offer resources on my blog to help with networking https://lauraparadisecoaching.com/after-hello-how-do-you-introduce-yourself/. That’s why the theme of the March 7 Interview Club is “How to Introduce Yourself.”

I believe in providing safe places for connection so you don’t have to dive right into networking on your own.

All of us need a tribe. Not a big group of people but a tight group of people who you know and who know you. Friends, colleagues, connections, trusted sources, and safe harbors. People that you can call on. People you can brainstorm with. People who will listen when you need to be heard. People who can support you when you have to make a big decision. People who have made big decisions, taken risks, set goals and achieved them.

Not only friends, not all people who are just like you. 

There is no good reason to go it alone, especially not when it comes to doing hard things like establishing yourself in a new place, changing careers, or starting a business. And especially not when you are feeling alone or intimidated. Or when you are going for your dreams. 

I’m taking a stand for reaching out to others. I know there are a lot of warm, resourceful people in the world. Let’s find each other!