Every day or professionally?

I remember at school I would never ask for help or admit to not knowing something, and would pretend I knew everything. How things change. I don't feel shy asking for help, directions or telling people I do not understand something.
I know it is still hard for some people to do though and they would rather make out they know, than lose face.
[Edited 8/14/07 19:16pm]

I find it difficult to admit it's hard to ask for help.

This post was quite taxing on me.

i find it hard as well. but not to save face but because of always doing things and managing on my own. asking for help is like a sign of weakness (even though i know its not true but thats what it feels like). if i did not have kids i would never ask for help; be just as sufficient living on noodles in a single room apartment like the starving artists that i know

Me too. I didn't feel like I knew everything but in school I didn't like asking for help even when I needed it.

Yes. It's hard for me to ask for help. My husband's job takes him away from home a lot and I have been forced to be extremely independent (which isn't always a bad thing). However, there are times when everyone needs help. The micro culture I live in has kind of bred women to be everything, do everything, and never seem like you need assistance. Which, of course, we all know is a charade.

When I am driving with my husband, I have no problem asking for directions if I am lost. My husband would rather drive around in circles for an hour before we ask for directions...Men!!

It was also hard for me to ask questions in school. And now that I am older it is still difficult for me to ask for help but when it comes to my job I just ask

I have a very hard time asking for help! I am always worried someone will think my question is stupid, so I pretty much keep things to myself and try to figure out my problem on my own.

It depends on what it is.
At work I have no issue asking for help. In fact, I take issue with people who look down on those who ask honest questions. Better to ask if you don't know than assume.

In my personal life, I'm not so good at it all the time. Little things are ok. Bigger things, it gets more difficult. I've relied only on myself for so long, it's hard to accept I may not be able to do it all on my own.
But I can do it all on my own. So why should I need help?

If it is something I need right away I will. But on any subject I am interested in I can't stand asking someone, I research on my own

heybaby said:

One can still ask for help without losing face.

Rinluv said:

At school? But you can ask now?

hokie1 said:

I don't see anything wrong in asking something. If it helps you learn, it is one less question answered.

veronikka said:

What is it that makes it so difficult?

Yes, very much so. It's my darn pride.

Yes. I don't like asking for help, because I don't like feeling that I owe something to someone. Plus I like to learn how to do things by experiencing them myself. with mistakes and all.

MoniGram said:

Your question is prtobably what 90% of others are thinking, and the other 10% are either sleeping or wanting to know the answer of something else so obscure, that is off on a tangent. Never be afraid. Chances are, you are only thinking what most others are scared to ask.
Never ask - never learn.

Sweeny79 said:

What's proud about knowing less?

MissMe said:

Good point.

I guess when I need it the most, I won't ask for help, because in some fucked up way I hate to think that others would think less of me for not being able to handle things on my own.

I mean this more in my personal life then in work. In work I just ask for help if I can't figure things out on my own.

ThirdandFinal said:

So long as you have an interest and research on your own. So many times, have I scoured the internet not understanding and have to resort to the dictionary/thesauraus/wikipedia but it is never seen as a weakness, always a strength, as each day I am learning something new.

Sweeny79 said:

You can answer honestly here. So where is your problem?

MissMe said:

Another good point!

ArielB said:

That's a stupid excuse, if ever I saw one. How can you ever feel like you owe something to someone? Either you are some kind of King and feel higher than we, your knowledge being something that must be "owed" back so you feel you cannot share. How can one learn and experience things without knowledge of others? Think about it. You cannot.

MissMe said:

No I get what he's saying... He's not saying he thinks he's better than anyone. He's introverted. It's not wrong to be that way at all.

Sweeny79 said:

But if you feel you Owe someone something, you must feel indebited to your teachers and peers. That guilt alone will never allow you to strive and learn new things.

One cannot learn alone.

Sweeny79 said:

i understand it too. there's nothing wrong with introversion or wanting independence from others.

MissMe said:

When I want to learn something, I observe.
Plus if I ask for help, I feel like later on the person who helped me can ask for a favor back whenever they want. I'd rather not 'owe' anyone and give favors or help by my own will, and not because I owe something to someone.

MissMe said:

Of course you can!

We all learn through our own experience. If all we did was recycle each other's knowlege we would never learn anything new at all.

ArielB said:

I get what you are saying, but it is not natural in my world. If I ask you a quesyion, I sure hope you don't store up these "answers or favours" so I am indebted to you.

Sweeny79 said:

One can learn through ignorance and mistakes, but I am talking about a higher, intellectual, readily available level, that mostly will not come by staring at plants or the tide.
[Edited 8/14/07 19:01pm]