Ask Forgiveness, Not Permission

It is easier to beg forgiveness than to seek permission, which reinstated means, it is better to act decisively and apologize for it later than to seek approval to act and risk delay, objections, etc. More importantly, expecting to ask forgiveness later is making it clear that you have something to say or something you want that is important to you first. It's a way of taking initiative. It's not about abusing a situation, but about knowing when to push the boundaries while at the same time testing and then learning from mistakes first-hand.

Granted, you don’t want to replicate problems just to experience them if you can avoid it, which in business means wasted valuable time, money and resources. You want to take on an appropriate degree of challenge that you believe you can handle that is still beyond your comfort zone.

When you ask others for permission, you make it clear that you want them to have a say in what's going on. It signals uncertainty and seeks validation which comes from either a lack of knowledge or lack of confidence.

Take for instance that you’ve planned a road trip, but hand over the keys to the car to someone who wasn’t involved in the planning. You have your schedule and set of destinations in mind, but now it becomes a negotiation at every turn because they are now along for the ride and are going to have their opinions along the way.

Always question yourself ahead why you want someones permission if you’re going to ask for it. Make sure it comes from a place of added value and perceptive. Believe in your abilities and develop your career on your own terms. Don’t let someone else drive for your road trip.

-Busy Brain