Asking for help is a sign of strength

When I first started working in academia, I thought that asking for help would signal that I didn’t know what I was doing. And because I desperately wanted to avoid this, I very rarely did so. The irony is that this meant it took me longer to figure out what I was doing. Asking for help, no matter what stage of your career you’re at, is a sign of strength, not weakness.

The most successful academics aren’t the ones who never need help – they’re the ones who ask for it before they’re desperate. Many of us wait until we’re completely stuck before reaching out for support. We see asking for help as a last resort, something to do only when all other options are exhausted.

What is the bravest thing you’ve ever said? asked the boy.
‘Help,’ said the horse. ‘Asking for help isn’t giving up,’ said the horse. ‘It’s refusing to give up.

Mackesy, C. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.

Practical implementation

Instead of waiting until you’re overwhelmed, try scheduling regular help-seeking conversations into your workflow. Just as you schedule meetings, teaching, and writing time, block out specific periods for seeking guidance and perspective from colleagues.

  • Schedule monthly coffee meetings with senior colleagues
  • Set up regular check-ins with peers working on similar projects
  • Book quarterly discussions with mentors to review your progress
  • Create accountability partnerships where help-seeking is normalised

Building a professional network of colleagues is important, not only so that you can find range of mentors to help guide you through the different obstacles you face, but so that you can be a mentor to others who might need it.

The most innovative and impactful academic work rarely happens in isolation. By building regular help-seeking into your workflow, you create a sustainable framework for collaborative success while maintaining your sense of calm and control. Making help-seeking a routine part of your schedule removes the psychological barrier of seeing it as a last resort. It transforms it from a sign of crisis into a strategic tool for growth.

Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength. It’s you saying that you’re not going to give up.


Ready to build sustainable academic practices? Explore the Academic Career Development course to learn more about creating effective support networks.


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