Push Your Damn Car

Otherwise nobody is going to help you.

You are driving down the highway. It is a warm, summer afternoon and life is good. You pass by an unlucky fella who’s car has broken down. He’s sitting in the driver’s seat on his phone, probably waiting for AAA or something. You think to yourself, “Poor guy” as you fly by him. A little further down the road you come across another fella who’s car has broken down. However, this young man is out behind his vehicle pushing it with all his might to try to get it moving again. His hands are dirty, he’s got grease on his face, you can tell he’s been putting some work in trying to get his car to move. You feel compelled to pull off the highway and help the man out.

Why didn’t you help that first guy out?

Same situation with both men, but in one you were compelled to help out. Why is that? Well, the answer is that humans have a tendency to want to help people who are already helping themselves. The man just sitting there waiting for help doesn’t receive any, but the man that rolls up his sleeves and tries to help himself draws the help of others as well.

This is a meteor

Sorry, a metaphor. I always get those mixed up. This is a metaphor for life. You don’t have to wait for your car to break down to start helping yourself out. And when you start putting things in action it is so much easier to get help along the way.

An example:

Mr. Zen is an incredible entrepreneur. He has started and sold multiple breweries. You want to pick Mr. Zen’s brain about starting a brewery. There are two ways you can go about it.

1. Don’t do any research, don’t try anything on your own, and bug the guy until he will give you 15 minutes of his time, which he probably won’t

2. Do your research, begin the process of creating a brewery, run into some specific problems, and write down some specific questions to ask Mr. Zen. Now when you approach him, you can tell him everything you’ve tried so far and how exciting this new venture is, and you have a couple of questions about the type of hops he used when he got started. He is much more likely to help you out now, because you have shown initiative.

Wrap Up

Helping myself first, or at least trying things before asking for help has served me well so far in life. I rarely encounter a situation where somebody is not willing to pass on words of advice when I can show that I have put in the effort to get started on my own.

Remember this lesson, and start applying it in your life. Is there something you are trying to accomplish? If so, get going on your own, run into roadblocks, and then seek some help! But be able to explain what you have tried so far.

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See you next time!

Matt