I have a dear friend named Teresa. She’s an accountant who operates as my defacto life coach, especially during tax season.
I don’t think she knows it, by the way. She saves my life on a regular basis. I get the answers I need by watching her make her way through the world. Good times. Challenging times. Teresa is grateful. She’s gracious. She always gets it right.
Obviously her book recommendations are top notch, too. Teresa posted a positive review of The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help. Have you read it? Check it out. It’s good!
People ask me for stuff regularly, but they either ask in the wrong way or they ask for the wrong things. My mom says that I have an open face — that’s why everybody asks to tell me a story. This is true, unfortunately. I know a lot of secrets. And while I want to be a loving and kind friend to everybody, I can only listen for so long.
So what can I offer instead of attention?
I can write a check. I can offer pithy advice. I make great introductions because my network is fairly big. That’s about it.
Sometimes, though, it doesn’t feel like enough. But I can offer other stuff, too. For example, if you can get yourself down to Orlando, I have a few free passes for the WorkHuman Conference.
Need a break from the kids? Family getting you down? Work is stressing you out? I don’t have time to hop on the phone and offer life advice, but I can offer you three days with smart people who want to make work and life better. People like Lindsey Pollak and Robert Emmons will have you distracted from your own pain and thinking about how the lessons from your journey can be used to help others.
(See? See how stuff can help?!)
If you’re interested in taking me up on this offer, all you have to do is ask. Tell me that you can cover your hotel and airfare, and the pass is yours. I don’t always have time for a conversation, but I do care. And I have resources to help you figure out what you need in life. Just ask!