“Nobody is coming to save you!”

You’ve probably heard that one from some self-appointed alpha male on the internet.

Usually a guy with a microphone, a rented sports car, and a course he’d be delighted to sell you.

And he’s partly right.

Nobody’s coming to live your life for you. Nobody’s going to make all your decisions, take all your risks, or do the work you’ve been putting off.

But somewhere along the way, these guys decided they could make a buck telling people that asking for help was weakness. That real men handle everything themselves. That needing somebody makes you less of a man.

What a load of bullshit.

I’ve started businesses, published magazines and newspapers, written books and got involved in politics. Nobody permitted me to do any of it.

Some of it worked. Some of it didn’t. And some of it I probably should have asked for a little more help with.

But here’s what I’ve learned.

There’s a hell of a difference between waiting for somebody to permit you to live your life and having people in your life who help you live it.

You don’t become stronger by pretending you don’t need anybody.

In fact, I’d argue that takes a particular kind of cowardice. It’s a lot easier to tell the world you don’t need anyone than to admit there’s somebody you do.

So, no. Nobody is coming to save you.

But there are probably people who would be quite happy to stand beside you.

And if you’ve spent your whole life making damned sure nobody can get close enough to help, don’t act surprised when they stop trying.

Don’t mistake standing alone for standing strong.