Where do I start? Really! This is one of those weeks where I don't even know where to begin writing since so much has happened in a short space of time. But I will try.
A few weeks ago I attended a communication course that lasted two and half days. Oh boy did I need it. It was an opportunity to take a serious look at myself and identify what works and what doesn't work in my communication with others. I went there with an open mind (I heard that the mind is like a parachute; it works best when it is open lol) and I was ready to do what ever it took to learn what I needed to learn.
What did I discover about myself? Do you want to hear it? Well first of all I am a business man so I don't give my stuff out for free.....however............because it is you I will tell you. So do you want the long or the short version of the story? Actually, let's go with the short version and you can let me know what you think.
It is the year 2001 and I am in Burundi my home country. I have a big goal that I want to accomplish and I share it with a very close friend of mine. He laughs at me and says that I am such a dreamer. I don't say anything, but deep inside, I am burning to prove him wrong. The days pass and he keeps on teasing me, so I decide that I will NEVER share my goals with anyone ever again.
Guess what! Ten years later, I am still the same! I have that wall between me and others in regards to sharing my goals. I prefer to talk about it when it is complete. Do you know what? With close friends, my method doesn't seem to work. They feel like I don't trust them (and I can't blame them, I would feel the same). However, I was not doing this on purpose (you don't know, what you don't know until someone shows you.)
Do you still have a minute? I can share another thing or two with you.
I discovered that my whole life has been about giving (which is not bad at all), but I have a hard time receiving or asking for help (do you know anyone like that?). It takes all the courage and vulnerability in the world for me to ask for help. I want to do it myself. But, YOU ask me for my help? I will move mountains to help you get what you want (sometimes even forgetting my own goals).
So I decided to change. I decided to allow myself to be vulnerable and ask for help and feel OK about it. Oh man! It was like there was someone out there saying “why did you wait this long?” Since I allowed myself to do this, things have been crazy.
Let me share this with you.
Last week, I asked two friends to donate money for my trip to Africa coming up in a few months (that by itself is a huge breakthrough for me: asking for money.). Anyways, the two friends saw me two days later, and one of them said: “Oh Patrick, I have your money. Here it is”. The second one went: “Oh yes, me too. Here is the money that I promised you”. Not far from us, another friend was watching all of this, and she came to me and said: “I don't know why these people are giving you money, but it must be for something good. Here is mine too. You can have it. Now, can you please explain to me: Why are all these people giving you money?”
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!!!??
All I had to do was....ask!!!!
A few days later, people came to me with GREAT business opportunities which made me feel as if I was a magnate!
Do I have everything in place for my trip to Africa? Not yet. But I know I can ask for help. Funny enough, I am receiving help and people are feeling good about it (I guess I have been sowing enough seeds in the ground).
I am so grateful to everyone. It is beyond imagination.
Oh, I forgot to tell you another thing. I was approached by a newspaper last week, and they want to write a profile about me! (are you serious!!!). I met the journalist, we did our interview and she sent me her first draft of the article. When I read it, I was like “are you kidding me? Is this me, really?”.
Now, everywhere I go, I take my pen with me. Hey, you never know someone may need my autograph lol.
What a week!!!
Moral of the story? Do you want to take a trip to Africa? Just ask for help and you will find yourself signing autographs.
Always a pleasure
Patrick
The Journeyman
pbizindavyi6@gmail.com
Twitter: @journeymanstory
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