If you have been following and reading my blog post, you will discover there has been a sequel on this heading that I have been working on, today this piece represent the last part to the sequel and its not just very powerful but brings a clinical and enlightening conclusion to the sequel. Follow below and be blessed.
The act and process of asking is different from begging. When you understand this fact, it will aid you in not getting stuck on a spot. Asking is a principle that growth demands, it a necessity, begging on the other hand is mostly done without the purpose of growth. A hungry man with purpose and plan to grow will ask for capital to start a business and keep asking until he gets an answer somewhere, on the other hand a beggar will beg for money to buy food and eat and come back the next day and the next one to ask for more money for food. It is important to note that beggars are restrictive in nature, they are always begging from something to fill their belly, something that will last for today alone, something that doesn’t cover the field, a person that understand the process and the art of asking as a principle of growth understandings that he is asking for substances and content that will build a lifetime, and not substance like money to spend on trivial things like a beggar will do. Beggar do not have plans to grow, beggars are always stuck on the spot and want something from their target and if they don’t get what they want, they turn down on themselves on everything, it becomes an uphill task for them to move forward. A beggar is at the mercy of the people he/she is begging from, we already examined the fact that the trust of the person asking is not rooted in the people he is asking from but in the process of the art of asking as a principle of growth.
There is also differences between the art of asking and demanding. This flows into the point we made on not getting stuck on a spot when you’re asking. When you’re asking you already understand that getting an answer from a particular person you asked from is not your right, it’s not something you’re entitled to, your concern is more rooted in the process and getting an answer from someone, sometimes in the process of asking. This means when you’re asking, you’re not demanding or trying to force answers from people you’re asking from. When you act like you have a right, or you’re above the person or you have leverage on the person, you’re not asking, you’re demanding. A person that is asking do not use the threat of a higher advantage on anybody he is asking from, the process of asking does not involve the extraction of answers through means that are note entirely peaceful and voluntary.
Be specific. The people you’re asking are not in the best position to know what you need in order to grow, the purpose of you asking is for you to be able to develop your life and grow to fulfill your purpose, thus, you’re the only person who knows the best ingredient for you to grow. “I can do anything” as an answer to a question asking you “what you can do” amounts to you saying you can do nothing. In the same vein, “I’ll take anything you could give” is begging and not asking. Being specific in the art of asking as a principle and tool for your growth is why you need to have figured out what your purpose is and your plans to fulfill your purpose before you use the tool of asking. When you’re vague in the process of asking, you do yourself more damage than when you do not ask. This is because the people you asked vaguely without being specific about what you need from them will further refer to you as a joker and mediocre, this would not be the kind of description you want them to give of you. When you use Numbers and you’re Being specific about what you need to grow it will be easier for people to give what you’ve asked of them, because they wouldn’t need extra effort and analysis in determining what you need what you’re asking them for. These happens all the time, you ask people for something and their first question is, what are you going to do with this? If you fail to answer the question, then you have fail a step in the principle of asking as a principle of growth. Figure out who you are, figure out your plans and be specific about what you need to reach your goals.
We’ve considered asking the right people/source and not being shy to admit when you’re asking from the wrong people/source and move on, but we must also understand that when we use the tool of asking as a principle of growth, moving one does not involve Burning bridges. Whatever response you get from a particular person/source, you must not forget that your trust and hope is not anchored on the person or that particular source but the process of asking. If a source says NO to you, this doesn’t mean you have to tag such as your enemy, cut ties and swear revenge against them. Only Jesus can walk on waters so why burn bridges.
When you ask, be ready to receive. People ask for a Range Rover but only prepare a parking space for a bicycle. You need to be prepare for the opportunities that the process of asking will present to you, the aim is to ask and receive and be a source to others that will further ask you, the aim is to use this tool of asking as a ladder of growth, so you must be prepare to grow when you start using the tool of asking. Use the tool to grow your network, build new relationships and achieve your goals in life. Remember nobody is an island and nobody has ever done it on their own. There is a popular saying in Yoruba that means “the person that ask for directions will never miss his way.”
Ask and it shall be given you.