Just ask.
Here’s why it’s more effective than you think: 👇
Most of us anticipate more emotional rejection than we actually experience. In reality, people are far more emotionally willing to say “yes” if we just ask.
Asking creates an opportunity for others to express empathy and kindness, boosting their own emotional well-being.
In a 2008 study (Flynn and Lake):
→ People predicted a 15% success rate when asking strangers for help
→ The actual success rate was 50%, highlighting our tendency to misread social-emotional cues
Why We Resist Asking:
↳ Empathy gap:
We struggle to accurately predict others’ emotional states and responses
↳ Spotlight effect:
We overestimate the emotional impact of our requests on others
These emotional biases make ‘asking’ feel more emotionally challenging than it really is.
How to Ask (Intelligently):
