4/27/2008

Dare to ask

How many times have you been left in doubt? How many times have you missed the chance of getting a special treatment, getting an exclusive rebate or simply been left with an unanswered question?

Mi advice: don’t keep quiet, dare to ask.

To some, daring to ask might seem dangerous and like a threat to look dumb, innocent, ignorant or ridiculous.
Very few people are willing to show their vulnerability in order to ask, learn, grow or achieve something.


Thousands of misunderstandings a day grow out of proportion precisely because no one had the courage of being direct and asked about what is going on.
Thousands of people stay stuck in mediocrity for fear of raising their hands and ask if there is a better opportunity for them, for their family or for their life.
Thousands of couples break up because they weren’t capable of looking into each other’s eyes and ask if they were happy and what could they do to grow their relationship.
Thousands of parents fight with their children because they rather preach to them than ask what they need.
Thousands of travelers get stuck in small uncomfortable seats in a plane because they thought they would not be taken seriously if they ask for a free up grade.
Thousands of students fail to pass their classes just because they rather give the impression of knowing everything instead of asking their teachers to repeat the class for them.
And thousands and thousands of people are left with the intention of doing something just because they did not dare to ask if they could do what they wanted to do.

Dare to ask! There is no such thing as a dumb question; there shouldn’t be such a thing as an unanswered question (even if the answer is not always what we wanted it to be).

I’ve learned that the having the courage to ask always has its rewards.
Ok, I admit that some times the answers we get are not necessarily what we were expecting, but more frequent than not, they are.

In my case, some of the things I’ve gotten as a result of asking are:


  • My wife, when 10 years ago I asked her if she wanted to go steady with me and when 4 years later I asked her to marry me.

  • My home, when I asked if the owner would lower the cost she was asking for.

  • Free up grades to business class when flying coach.

  • The opportunity of becoming a co-author for the new book The Age of Conversation ’08.

  • Having access to participate as a speaker at different events and conferences at various universities and private events.

  • Open doors and opportunities to develop great businesses with prospects and clients, just because I asked them “How can I help you? What do you need?”

  • Establishing great business, but especially personal relationships with the people I’ve met through out my career by asking “How are you?” or an even simpler yet deeper question: “Who are you?”

So here are a couple of questions for you: What have you refrained from asking in the past that has kept you from moving forward? What have you wanted to ask for in the past that you haven’t dared to ask?
Answer these two questions to yourself and don’t let another week pass without daring to ask.

No hay comentarios:

An important note.

The comments, opinions and recommendations posted in this personal blog are my personal thoughts, and doesn't necesarily reflect those of my employer.