When we seek help or advice, there’s an important question we rarely ask the other person whom we seek advice from: “What experiences, responsibilities & training have shaped your knowledge?” Essentially asking, “Where HAVE you been”. This question holds significant value, giving us a chance to measure if the person we are seeking help from really has the potential for giving us new/different perspectives than we currently are exposed to.
We frequently make the mistake of seeking advice from those whose experiences are too similar to ours, resulting in stagnation, ineffectiveness, & re-occurrence rather than progress.
As we age, having made many mistakes over time, we learn it helps to seek out individuals with wider and greater experiences than our own. There are so many different ways to think about something or different choices we could make that we are not aware of. By realizing this, we then must find people who can provide different ways of thinking than we are used to. Giving us the opportunity to slow down and think through our next choices, so that we minimize our chances of making a mistake or choosing an ineffective path to pursue.
We often find ourselves trapped within familiar circles and routines limited by our immediate surroundings. We may have spent our entire lives in a single neighborhood, while others ventured much further. Actively engaging with those who have traveled further powerfully increases the probability of learning something new that we never considered or knew before. They can also help expose the risks and uncertainties we face while rating them as to their importance to consider based on their own different/broader experiences.
A different approach to accomplish much of this is to simply travel and experience many different paths on our own. By immersing ourselves in diverse environments and connecting with people who have unique experiences, we open ourselves up to unexpected growth, possibility, and opportunity. When we least expect it, our world begins to expand step by step, allowing us to recognize the possibilities and opportunities that surround us on our own. As we embrace new perspectives, our confidence grows, and the once-blurred paths toward our goals come into clearer focus. The risks and uncertainties we face become clearer as well.
The popular advice to “get out of your comfort zone” is valuable but can be challenging to implement. One effective approach is to seek out individuals who have already taken that leap. Their stories and struggles can inspire us, offering guidance and confidence as we embark on our own journeys. By listening attentively to their experiences, we can gain valuable insights and find the motivation to explore new horizons.
For we all need help, more times than we believe.