You already know the formula; "Ask and you shall receive." And, you
already know that it's not just another good idea. Asking is the only
way to get what you're seeking in your life, in your relationships,
or in your business.
Asking may not be your forte, and it might not even be a whole lot of
fun. In fact, I have found that most people prefer to do it all
themselves rather than ask somebody for help.
Think about this, asking the right question at the right time, to the
right person can bring you to success faster than you could ever
hope to get there on your own! So why are you not out there asking
for what it is that you really want?
What keeps you from asking for what it is you really need and
want? I have found that it's our desire to be independent that
keeps us from asking. It's our ego. Our desire to take all the
credit when something finally does work that keeps us from
doing it the easy way.
Think about it in your own life. What has stopped you from asking
for help in the past? For some people, asking is a sign of
weakness, so they do their best to do it all alone. Sometimes
things get so bad that these people actually lose it all,
yet they still won't ask for help! Have you known a person
like this in your life?
I share this with you here because it's a lesson that I too had
to learn. I was one of those people who was raised thinking that
being independent was the only way to be. I believed that asking
for help was a sure sign of weakness and I didn't want to be
perceived as weak. So I was tough. I never asked for help
and went out there and did it all myself.
Then one day, I gave it some thought. Was it really a sign of
weakness to ask for what it was that I really needed to build
my business? I began to study people who have achieved greatness
in their lives and I asked, "Did they do it alone or did
they have help?"
For instance, did Bill Gates build Microsoft by himself, or did
he have a team working with him? Obviously he had a team, each
of whom today is wealthy beyond imagination. Not only did he
have a team, he asked for help and made deals with other
companies to help him realize his dream. This is a practice
that Microsoft continues to use to this day.
Do you look at Bill Gates and see weakness? I sure don't.
The more I considered it, the more I began to understand what
it really meant to ask for help.
Then I had yet another realization. Asking for help is really
GIVING an opportunity to another person. That's right,
asking is giving at the same time. Think about it.
When somebody asks you for help, and you are willing to help,
do you ENJOY the process of giving? You bet you do! We're
wired to give! Giving is a basic human need and each and
every one of us receives great joy when we give to
another human being.
So not asking is actually denying other people the chance
to give and feel pleasure. You wouldn't deny another human
being the pleasure of giving would you? I doubt it. So then
you will learn to ask, right? Great!
Let me share with you some strategies for asking that could
make all the difference in getting what you are asking for.
First, you have to be very clear on what it is you are hoping
to receive. If you are not clear, then how can you expect
another person to know what it is you need? Get crystal
clear and write it down on paper!
Next, make a list of people who can help you. You want to make
sure the people you ask are able to give you what you want.
For instance, you wouldn't want to ask for a $100,000 loan
from somebody who is having a hard time paying the rent
each month. You could ask all day long and never get the
loan! Ask people who can help you.
Before you ask, think about what value you will provide to
them. For instance, you can get a person to give you a
million dollars if you bring them more than a million dollars
in value first.
You could ask for a loan, and you could say to the person
giving you the loan that in return for the loan, you will
give them partial ownership in your business. This is
essentially what the stock market is only the companies
are public as opposed to private.
Or you could say to the lender that you will give them
all the net profits from the company until the loan is
paid in full, plus interest. Would you invest in such
a company with this kind of deal? Many people would, and do!
What about those smaller things you need to build your
business? Can you ask for help there too? Of course you
can! And you must!
It makes no difference how much you know about your industry,
your products, or even your business, there is always room
to learn more! I realized this early on when I would meet
business owners all the time who were not making any money
in their businesses, yet they appeared to be very talented
at their craft. Something wasn't making sense.
I studied them and discovered that while they were true
experts in their chosen field, they had little or no knowledge
or experience in many other areas of running and building
their business. Most of these people will hang on for dear
life or simply close after a short time and all they had
to do was ask for the help they needed.
You see we all need help. Even the top people in our society
have a team. They have advisors, they have mastermind groups,
they have coaches, mentors, role models. They have help and
they are not afraid to ask for it!
You and I are too close to our businesses. We miss some obvious
distinctions that could result in windfall profits because we
try too hard to know it all or do it all alone.
What if you were to get a mentor? What if you were to ask
somebody who knows marketing down cold, for example, to
help you with your marketing? If you are struggling in
that area, asking for help is the fastest way to go from
being in pain to enjoying hefty profits!
And, the good news is that YOU get to enjoy the benefits,
the credit, and the lifestyle of success because you made
the decision to find out what you wanted help with, who
could help you, and you reached out and asked for that help.
Success does not have to be hard. Success does not have to
take decades. And success can and should be yours starting
right now if you are willing to open up and ask for help.
My business today is successful because I have learned how
to ask for help. I know what I am building. I know where I
am headed. And I know what I will need along the way to
make my dreams a reality. Wouldn't it feel great if
you could help me get what I really want out of life? I
know it would feel great for me to be able to help you.
All you have to do is ask.
About the Author
Robert Imbriale is an internationally known speaker, author,
and consultant who has helped sell well over $100 Million
online. He is a top-rated Internet marketer, the author
of 2 books, and a powerful speakers on the topic of on
Internet marketing and motivation. Get a copy of his book,
Internet Marketing Secrets FREE by going to his web site.
Robert may be reached via e-mail at Robert@ultimatewealth.com
and his web site is http://www.ultimatewealth.com.