I’m listening to Amanda Palmer’s The Art of Asking (audiobook, author narrated) and it’s had me laughing and crying for many hours of commuting now. Today on the way home she was talking about non-successful crowdfunding projects. You can’t really expect the greater internet universe to fulfill you heretofore secret wish to move to another country and start a new life. If you’re lucky, your friends and family might chip in something for that. You need to have enlarged your own universe by sharing yourself and sharing the lives of others and to connect with people about things that you have in common be it art or life. Be honest, be open, ask for input, offer help, trust, be trustworthy. It’s quite the read or listen no matter what you’re doing.
If you want a taste of the idea, check out her TED Talk:
So the Quote Box over there on the right offered this just now:
Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. — Helen Keller
Faith, trust, willingness to hope… yup. That’s it. Be willing to ask someone else for something. Be open to them giving it. Take it. Thank them. Be open to other people being the same as you – human – and ask them to accept your gift too.
