“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”~Helen Keller
What is there to say to expand on this quote? Not a whole lot. It kind of speaks for itself. And yet, it bears expanding upon because it is worth repeating and remembering – and it can be so easy to forget.
Recently I was sick, really sick. In my desperation to have something simple in the house that I could eat, in light of my inability to make it to the store, I accepted my daughter’s offer to walk to the store and get what we needed. And then I asked her to take her little brother with her, so that I could have some peace in the house and he could get out. Later that day, as she was about to go out to run her own errands, I asked even more of her – to finish up some of my holiday shopping and again take her brother with her.
This all may not seem like much, but it took a great deal for me to realize that I could rely on her, could ask her to help me, in this moment of need. I notice this reluctance to ask others for support and assistance in coaching many of my clients. Somehow we develop a belief that we need to shoulder the burden and bear the brunt. To what avail? Let’s ask others for help and get more done.
Looking deeper, Helen Keller’s comments mean even more. It means that we all need to remember that “united we stand and divided we fall.” That “two heads are better than one.” And that “there is strength in numbers.” There is a reason there are so many pithy sayings about the power of combining forces, of gathering together, of uniting as one. Because it is true. Alone we can do so little compared to what we can do together. We can change people’s minds, we can change people’s hearts, we can change the world.
If you need help, ask for it. If you don’t need help, ask for it anyway and see what better results you get.
Where are you going it alone? How can you combine forces and ideas with someone else?
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For support in asking for help, contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.
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