Steve Jobs Believed Help Is Always Available If You're Brave Enough To Reach Out: 'Most People Don't Get What They Want Because They Never Ask'

Steve Jobs never hesitated to ask for help—even from people he had never met. In a 1994 interview, the Apple co-founder shared, "I've never found anybody that didn't want to help me if I asked them for help." It is a simple truth, yet many people struggle to implement it in their personal and professional lives.

What happened: When he was 12, Jobs opened the phone book, found HP co-founder Bill Hewlett's number, and cold-called him requesting leftover electronic parts. Hewlett was impressed, giving him both the parts and a summer internship in the assembly line. That brave ask became Jobs' first step into the world of tech.

Reminiscing, Jobs said: "I've always found something to be very true, which is most people don't get those experiences because they never ask."

See Also: Steve Jobs Detested Decision Fatigue, Now Gen Z Is Copying His Style Playbook To Stay Sane, Stay Employed And Stay Out Of Trouble

Why it matters: According to Jobs, the barrier wasn't access—it was fear. "You've got to be willing to crash and burn, with people on the phone, with starting a company, with whatever. If you're afraid of failing, you won't get very far."

Jobs said in the interview that the difference between those who do things and those who dream of doing things lies in the ability to ask for help. So the next time you hesitate to reach out, remember—you might be one bold question away from changing your life.

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