Help Is Not a Four-Letter Word: Why Doing It All Is Doing You In
By Peggy Collins with Deborah Saverance
(McGraw-Hill, $21.95)
Do you try to do everything yourself? Are you afraid that you’ll appear weak or incompetent if you ask for help? The stress and burnout created by being a severe “self-sufficient” aren’t worth it, says author Peggy Collins. It’s time you learned to gracefully ask for and accept some assistance.
1. Self-sufficients want to connect with and count on others but can’t. Give it a try, though, and you’ll find that collaboration can strengthen you and deepen relationships.
2. Do you think that you’re the only person you can truly count on, or that you need to stay in control to protect yourself from misfortune? If so, you may be severely self-sufficient.
3. Good reasons to collaborate on a project: It’ll be easier, quicker, more efficient, less stressful, and/or build valuable relationships.
4. Self-sufficients must learn to relinquish control. Instead of telling others how to do something, “watch them muddle though whatever it is and experience the joy of their own accomplishment.”
5. Don’t always push for perfection. Adjusting expectations and collaborating with others can be more valuable than a perfect outcome.
