We’re not supposed to know absolutely everything, so it’s always a good idea to ask for help if we need it.
However, the way Samuel L. Jackson filters his true fans will help you know the right way to do it:
Jackson was asked, “What’s the thing your fans always tell you when they meet you?”
And he replied, “Do you know what they call the quarter pounder with cheese in Paris?”
It’s a reference to one of his lines with John Travolta in Pulp Fiction.
Here’s the catch:
When any of his fans asks that question, Jackson answers exactly like in the movie.
As in, “How do they call it?”
At this point, 99% of the so-called film geeks don’t get the joke and just stop feeling embarrassed, thinking that Jackson didn’t remember his own line.
But…
Only a select handful understand that Jackson is playing his Jules Winnfield character and they go on with the rest of the dialogue.
That means they have seen the movie, are true fans and also were aware of the situation when meeting him.
How does all this help you?
This is an analogy for many situations, like when asking advice from a potential mentor, or asking for help from someone way ahead in the game.
You can’t just say “Please help me.”
Even with the best intentions, no one will take you seriously unless you do your homework first.
This reminds me of the American luthier Randy Parsons, whose story I will share in the near future.
Parsons could benefit from a great mentor but only because he first worked hard for two years understanding guitar woods.
A common theme here and there: help yourself first.
Remember that no matter how great the mentor you find, or how willing they are to give you a hand, their story is unique.
And so is yours. If you don’t know your own identity or know what you really want, how can you expect for someone to find that out for you?
In fact, the mentor is absolutely in no obligation of knowing if their ways are actually good for you.
Only a few great Masters will test you to be sure if you’re absolutely clear of what you want… so you don’t waste their time.
Sounds fair enough, doesn’t it?
Before you ask for help, define what is it that you want.
Before you reach out to someone, devour every piece of content they’ve put out. Blog posts, books, videos.
That way you’ll be able to answer ‘royale with cheese’ when the time comes 😉
Sometimes you will have to persuade your mentor to teach you.
Don’t worry; I have something that might come in handy: my free ebook of tips on body language and persuasion.
Just a click away:
Much success!
Jesús Enrique Rosas
I can read your body language and write a story about it.
