The world’s most powerful and neglected secret to success and happiness is the simple act of asking.

So, “Why don’t people have the courage to ask for what they want?”

The answers are fear of rejection, fear of losing face or fear of being embarrassed.

All of them live with the fear of what may happen because they do not have the courage to ask.

For now, let me explain a few things about asking. Firstly, it takes courage to ask but if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Am I right?

By simply not asking, the answer is automatically “NO”! In my mind, you routinely lose because you lack the courage to ask. Why?

The answer is simple. If you have the courage to ask, you increase the odds of receiving a “yes” reply. The odds are 50/50.

When you possess the courage to ask, you increase your odds of getting a positive response. However, if you get a NO answer, did you lose anything?

No! How can you lose something you never had?

Therefore, make it a habit to have the courage to ask. Also, be careful what you ask for, because you may just get it!

Imagine the outcome for the salesperson who doesn’t have the courage to ask questions in order to understand the prospect’s needs or to request the order. Picture the person who doesn’t have the courage to ask for a promotion; and the person who doesn’t have the courage to ask for a loved one’s hand in marriage. Do they get what they want?

Don’t ever be too shy to ask.

All it takes is a little courage. What is the worst response you can get? If it happens to be a “no”, what have you actually lost?

Now, imagine you had the courage to ask the same question and the answer is “yes”. How much further ahead are you now?

If I hadn’t had the courage to ask my wife Joan to go to the high school graduation with me, I may never have found that wonderful and loving partner in life. If I hadn’t had the courage to ask my friend John for a loan, we may not have been able to build our first home, or live in our dream home today.

If I hadn’t had the courage to ask for guidance, I likely wouldn’t have received it. If I hadn’t had the courage to ask myself what I wanted out of life, I doubt I’d be where I (happily) am today.

The quote from the Bible, which I have attached at the end of this article, has been around for over 2000 years and is very accurate.

A.S.K. is the short form for a very important message. I believe A stands for Ask, S for Seek and K for Knock.

You must have the courage to ask yourself what you want out of life. Once you know what you want, you can seek it out. It is by seeking out what you truly want that you will discover all the doors of opportunity right in front of you. Finally, you must have the courage to knock.

My book, Disciplined for Life, You Are the Author of Your Future, covers that subject. It will provide you with the necessary courage and it will guide you to ask yourself some questions that will require some internal soul searching.

As you formulate the answers and write them down in the space provided, you will find yourself and discover what you want out of life. You are the author of your future. This alone will increase your level of courage, motivation, confidence, self-esteem, self-respect and self-worth.

Once you know the truth about yourself, you will then have the courage to proceed and create a personal plan to seek out those opportunities which will give you the life you crave.

Have the courage to ask of yourself questions, to ask of others, and to ask often. Don’t ever be shy to ask. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Indeed the more you ask, the more you get. If you need help, if you want a promotion, if you want a referral, if you do not understand something, if you want more out of life, what must you do? Ask!

You do have the right to ask! Make it a habit to ask. Asking can help you choose how to use your time and energy most effectively. The world’s most powerful and neglected secret to success and happiness is the simple act of asking.

Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

Luke 11: 9-10

Many people have great ideas and plans, but they let fear stop them dead in their tracks. Is fear stopping you from moving forward?

After losing over five years of my life in fear of what other people would say, and as a teenager hiding because of my acne; I realized that I had some major catching up to do. I had a choice to make. I could be like everyone else and think about it, or I could just do it.

But what happens when most people think about doing something?

Quite often they allow fear to step in and fear stops them dead in their tracks. Once fear sets in, indecision follows. With indecision comes procrastination. With procrastination comes paralysis, and nothing changes. Fear of change is one choice. Unfortunately, the choice too many people make is to allow fear of the unknown rule their lives.

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What does success mean to you? This can be a difficult question because we often look to others as examples.

We see the Smiths down the street with a beautiful home, a swimming pool and a new car. By the looks of things, we might consider the Smiths successful, since most people tend to base success on material possessions.

But are they, or is it just a front to try to impress the neighbours?

For all we know, they could hate what they are doing, they could be heavily in debt and not very happy. So why do we judge people by their external appearances and material possessions and compare ourselves with their apparent success?

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