If you don’t ask, who will?  What’s the price of remaining silent?  Will you miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime?

The world is a busy place and its not going to slow down to figure out what you want.  It’s up to you to use your voice and to ask about the things that matter most to you.  For example:

• Do you remember the days when you had to ask your parents for permission?
• As you grew up, did you learn how to ask teachers to explain a subject one more time or in a different way?  Or did you ever ask an expanded question?
• Have you asked someone on a date, or for a lifelong commitment?
• Do you know how to ask a team member to find a way to produce more?
• Are you willing to ask the “hard questions”?  Or do you avoid them?
• Have you asked what success looks like to those you work with?
• Are you willing to dig deep and ask more of yourself?
• Do you make sure to always ask “Why”?  (This was a special gift of my youngest son, who perfected the “Many Why” approach!)
• If you ask a question, but the answer isn’t what you expected (or wanted), what happens next?
• When you ask “How are you doing?”, do you really want to know?  (If not, why ask?)
• Are you willing to ask yourself to step up, to do more?  What inspires you to push yourself to accomplish more?
• Have you ever asked a customer what’s most important to them?  How about a family member?
• When you ask someone to do something, do they know why?  Shouldn’t they?

If you’re not willing to ask the questions, then how will you know what others care most about?  More importantly, how will you know what direction to take with your own life and career?  The answer may be yes, no, or maybe; but it’s most certainly the equivalent of “NO” if you never ask the question in the first place!

Success and happiness begin with asking great questions, but depend upon listening to the answers – and then actually doing something with them!  What have you asked about today?