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Years ago, my friend Calvin walked into a Subway and ordered a sandwich.

Only, he asked if he could make his *own* sandwich.

To his surprise - the worker agreed and let him behind the counter to do it himself.

Say what you will about how this probably breaks every law in the fast food industry — what a wild experience nonetheless!

This was part of a 100-day challenge where he’d ask for audacious things every day.

He fully expected to be told “no” most of the time.

But that was actually the point. He’d noticed how often he’d missed out on opportunities just from being scared to ask.

So he set out to overcome that fear, by facing rejection head on every day.

Along the way, he had goofy and memorable experiences like this one, just by asking.

Which got me thinking — what’re some of the craziest things that’ve happened from someone daring to ask?

1. Asking Elon Musk for a Rocket Part

This one’s legendary. In 2010, a group of engineering students from a small university reached out to Elon Musk via email. They were working on a student project to build a rocket and asked if SpaceX would be willing to donate any spare parts.

To their shock, Musk personally replied. Not only did he provide them with the requested part, but he also invited them to tour SpaceX. The partnership helped put their tiny program on the map, and many of those students now work in aerospace engineering.

2. The Teenager Who Asked for a Loan

In 1965, 17-year-old Fred DeLuca borrowed $1,000 from family friend Peter Buck to start a sandwich shop to help pay for his college tuition. Together they grew the company into the global franchise known as Subway, with over 37,000 locations worldwide.

3. A Kid Who Asked Nike for Custom Shoes

A young boy with cerebral palsy wrote to Nike, requesting a shoe he could put on himself. Moved by his request, Nike developed the FlyEase line, featuring adaptive footwear designed for people with disabilities.

What opportunities have you missed in life from being afraid to ask?

What good could you do for others by being brave enough to ask?

Consider this:

    •    The worst-case scenario? Someone says no.

    •    The best-case scenario? Your world changes.

This week, take one bold step and ask for something that scares you. Maybe it’s asking for a favor, pitching a big idea, or reaching out to someone you admire.

The act of asking is a habit—a skill you can build with practice. At the core, it’s rooted in your own self confidence and in trusting that no matter their response, life will go on.

You might be surprised by the opportunities that arise when you simply ask!

Got a cool story about asking? Hit reply and share - I’d love to hear it!

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- Kody

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P.S. These take 3 hours to research, write, and design. It only takes you 3 seconds to share.