A couple of weeks ago, I missed a work deadline on Friday.
It was probably the most stressful week, as I found myself trying to learn some new programming systems and needing to research company-specific work that I couldnāt easily Google.
I usually rely on Google for answers through Stack Overflow or Medium articles with snippets of code and expert explanations of tools from programmers in Russia or China. But this time, I couldnāt Google the answer, because it wasnāt Googleable. (is that even a word?)
I found myself forced to do one of the things I disliked most: asking for help.
When it comes to sending a message to ask for help, I struggle with formulating the right words to ask a question. Overanalysis, overthinking, and obsession over the intention of what I send stops me from moving past my discomfort of sending the question.
Getting to the point. Cutting to the chase. Biting the bullet.
All these phrases are things that I need to do.
But digging deeper, I noticed an underlying heart issue - a deep pride of being in control. Rather than being real and imperfect, I chose to avoid looking incompetent and sacrificed the ability to move forward and get the job done.
The issue is that pride is never helpful.
No one is successful in the long run when they are not willing to admit they donāt know or are wrong. Being prideful is a detrimental behavior that causes people to plateau.
In fact, in the Bible, God always brings down the prideful, in comparison to how He treats the humble:
"For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly but the haughty he knows from afar." - Psalm 138:6
"One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor." - Proverbs 29:23
"Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." - Matthew 23:12
And my pride brought the downfall of not getting my work done in time.
If I had taken ownership of my flaws and asked for help earlier I wouldāve probably solved the problem days before the deadline.
Instead, I found myself unable to uphold my stewardship and was humbled.
I completed the work by the following week, and learned that the quicker I am to humble myself, the better I am to steward well the things Iām given and to ultimately glorify God with my work.