There is something to be said for being the smartest or the most talented one in the room…too bad it doesn’t help much in reality. Success, by any definition, is a team sport. I learned this little detail the hard way.
There was a time in my life when I thought that if I wanted to make anything out of myself, I'd be responsible for all of it by myself. I needed to know how to be the boss, the accountant, the creative director, and the salesman. Even if I hired or worked with others, I wanted to be the final say on everything. This was a brilliant strategy until three things happened. I learned I wasn't good at everything; I didn't have the energy to do everything; I failed.
The human is a social animal and our survival and success depend on our ability to find communities of people who share our values and beliefs.
When these communities form, trust arises. It is the community that has the greater chance of not only survival but success. In other words, asking for help is proven to enhance the possibility of our success.
Once I hit a point where I had no choice but to ask for help, things started to dramatically change. For one, I let go of the belief that I should do everything. There is not a single thing I’m doing these days that is not as a direct result of someone helping me. For example, some showed up to do specific tasks that I’m not good at---like accounting.
The more willing I am to ask for help, the more I am able to help others. I have transformed from working for myself to working for others which, ironically , has helped me grow as an individual more than I ever imagined.
Offer your strengths to others and you’ll be amazed how many people offer their strengths to you.
32. Before failing in his brilliant strategy, the author ________.
A. could have done everything well
B. tried to finish all by himself
C. never worked with others
D. considered himself the smartest
33. What did the author learn from his failure?
A. Success cannot be achieved without help from others
B. Communities result from trust among each other
C. Only in the community are people more likely to survive
D. We should learn to share our values and beliefs with others
34. The underlined sentence in the fifth passage probably means that the author ________.
A. has never done a single thing ever since
B. seldom personally does things these days
C. now does everything with the help of others
D. totally owes his present success to others’ direct help
35. The readers are advised by the author to ________.
A. show off their strengths
B. expect to get the offer of help
C. express their thanks to others
D. offer to help others actively