The other day I played Go Fish and won. I mean, like, I crushed it. That’s not saying much considering it was only a child’s card game, but still. I won because each time I asked for a card, when my opponent didn’t have it, the pile did. You see, I “picked my wish” almost every time.
That got me thinking: what else should I be asking for? Asking is often how we get what we want, like directions, help with moving something heavy or even a raise. Sure we don’t always get what we ask for, like wanting to be taller (I know, I’ve tried), but by not asking, we’re certainly not going to get it. Like hockey great Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” So just by asking, we increase our chances by 50%.
With holiday shopping in full gear, no one who knows the power of “asking” more than children. They write Christmas lists, letters to Santa, and text their aunt. The best example is in the movie A Christmas Story where Ralphie repeatedly asks: “I want an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle!” And he gets one.
Asking for things says a lot about ourselves. As we get older our “asks” turn from toys to success and health (okay, and maybe an orange scooter). But many don’t ask for things, kind of like letting their wishes go to waste. Asking for something – saying it out loud or writing it down – won’t guarantee its appearance, but putting it out into the “universe” may help it settle into our consciousness and sharpen our aim, pushing us to work harder toward getting it or at least recognizing the signs along the way. Either way, as my Nana Banana used to say, “It couldn’t hurt.”
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