Questions are magic. If we as independent professionals put questions to proper use, we will not only discover our own special career path, we will be able to get and achieve anything we want. In this article, I share some ideas about how to use the magic of questions. Don't ever hesitate to ASK. Recently a man who was taking one of my classes shared that he had experienced an incredible hour of face-to-face interaction with Brian Tracy, the well known speaker and author. He was attending a convention where Tracy was the featured speaker. "How much did you have to pay for this?" asked another attendee. "The price of a cup of coffee," was the answer. My student had called Tracy ahead of time and asked if they could meet for coffee sometime during the convention. Oftentimes, all we need to do is ASK for something we want and we will be happily rewarded by receiving it. Just remember, that the worst that can happen is that the answer might be, "No." The most important questions when planning our futures are those we ask ourselves. In his well-written book Career Management for the Creative Person Lee Silber talks about how, "The possibilities are limitless, which makes the concept of planning a career overwhelming." Following are a sample of the questions Silber suggests we ask ourselves: - Who is doing what I want to do and what steps did they take to get there?
- Whom could I ask how they did it?
- What obstacles might I face along the way and how will I deal with them?
- What are the decision makers along the way looking for and what do I have to do to meet those needs?
- Where is the action happening?
- What can I do to close the gap between what I want and where I am now?
- What skills do I need to acquire?
- Can I make a living at this?
- What steps do I need to take? In what order?
- What action can I take right now, today?
When asking yourself important questions, take the time to write down your answers. There is something powerful and lasting about putting your pen to paper. There is a feeling of permanence and a call to action when we express ourselves in writing It is almost like making a contract with ourselves. Moreover, we will be less likely to "go back on our word." Just remember that asking good questions will work their magic. But, also remember that the excellent communicator not only asks questions, he and/or she listens to the answers from both themselves and others. |
