If you want to know an answer, don’t presume, ask. This is mindfulness.
What will it take to earn an “A” in a course? Ask the professor. Privately, tell the professor that you want and expect to earn an A and you want to know his or her criteria. Ask if there are any extra credit projects you can do. This is not being a suck-up. This is being smart. Remember, most of your fellow students are in the 70% club and content to go along with the program. You are in the 20% take-charge elite. Will asking the professor put you on notice? Yes, it will. Will some professors blow you off with, “Just do the assignments and pass the tests!” ? Yes, they will. However, you will still stand out. So, be extraordinary.
You go to a job interview because you want to be hired. Look the part. Research the company. Speak with enthusiasm. Say that you are a listener who is a hard-working team player. Ask for the job.
You want to get a promotion. Ask your supervisor what it will take to be promoted. Be as irreplaceable as possible. Voluntarily do the hard jobs that others avoid. If you work hard and your hard work is not acknowledged, quietly plan your escape to where your extra efforts will be rewarded.
Asking is often taking a risk. It is putting yourself out front. It is learning what you can expect and possibly hearing what you don’t want to hear.
The mindful know that it is better to know than to not know.
