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“If you dislike the answers you’re getting from life, try asking better questions.” ~ Steve Pavlina

Steve Pavlina Quote:
“If you dislike the answers you’re getting from life, try asking better questions.” ~ Steve Pavlina

Photo Credit: Rajiv Patel

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How To Get Anything You Want By Asking Better Questions

Ask for advice – not favors. Instead of saying, “I think this is a fantastic production and you must put your entire portfolio behind it!” try: “I think this is a really promising show – I’d love to know what you think.” People feel good when their opinion is valued. People feel good when they help others. Help them feel good.

Be specific. Vague inquiries like, “Can I pick your brain?” will get you nowhere fast. Instead, present a very specific problem or need. For example, “My email list isn’t growing as fast as I’d like. Do you have any ideas why not?” 2013_0131_MichaelRoderick_017 “Be as succinct as possible,” Roderick says. “Present them with a question they can answer in 5 minutes in an email, or 10 minutes on the phone.”

Be interested in others’ success. “Everyone wants to rise together,” Roderick says. Approaching potential partners with enthusiasm for their accomplishments makes it easier to share with them your goals — and brainstorm ways to come together. “Have a conversation around the idea of how your goal is to make them even more successful.”

Respect that time and expertise is valuable. Recognize when you’re asking for information or a service that the other person may charge for — like consulting services. Open these conversations with, “I realize this is the kind of information you may get paid for.”

Be a person. “People with boatloads of money expect you to ask them to write a check — they get that ask all the time,” Roderick says. If you truly get to know someone — no matter their financial status — that is when you connect with them, and that is where true networking magic transpires. Common interests, family, backgrounds — this is the stuff of human emotion and connection. Go there.

Find ways to be helpful. If you know people as people, you can identify ways to help them — whether it is helping their kid get into a good school, hard-to-get concert tickets or a vendor referral.

Practice your ask. “If you ask a good, succinct question, a person in authority will already see you in a positive light – because your communication is better than 90 percent of people,” Roderick says.

Original Source: Forbes

The next time when you want something from someone, make sure you follow the above steps to help you out. Give it a try by asking better questions that will enhance your chance of getting what you want out from life.

Remember this: Better Questions = Better Answers!

Type Better Questions (in the comments below) If You've Been Blessed!