Ask and You May Get

Principle #15 - Ask! Ask! Ask!

Most successful people are especially good at asking for exactly what they want, which is why they get exactly what they want in the form of success.

"You have got to ask. Asking is, in my opinion, the world's most powerful and neglected secret to success and happiness." ~ Percy Ross

Most average people find themselves having a hard time getting exactly what they want in life. One possible reason is that they are afraid to ask for exactly what they want.

Why are people so afraid to ask? They are afraid of many things such as looking needy, looking foolish, and looking stupid. But mostly they're afraid of experiencing rejection. They are afraid of hearing the word 'no'. 

The sad thing is that they're actually rejecting themselves in advance. They're saying no to themselves before anyone else even has a chance to.

Think of it this way.

Imagine right now you have RM10 in your pocket, but you would like to have RM50 instead. So you go out looking for someone who could give you the RM40 that you need. You asked the person for RM40, and he said no.

At this moment you may feel sad and dejected. But ask yourself this, how much money is left in your pocket now? RM10 right? So, are you any worse off than when you first started asking? No. You're still at the same position as you first started. You have not lost anything, except for some mere feeling of sadness and dejection.

Now, imagine that the person said yes and gave you RM40. Are you a lot better off? Of course! And all it takes is just being willing to ask.

How do we ask for what we want? Here are some quick tips to help you get started.

1. Ask as if you expect to get it.
• Ask as if you expect to get a "yes".
2. Assume you can.
• Don't reject yourself before even starting.
3. Ask someone who can give it to you.
• Simple logic. You want money, you look for someone who has it. You want a business partner, you look for someone who is also looking for a business to run.
4. Be clear and specific.
• Don't say "I want a raise."
• Say "I want a raise of RM500 a month".
5. Ask repeatedly.
• Persistence pays off. Ask again and again, the same person might even give you a "yes" when the timing is right.

Kids understand this success principle perhaps better than anyone. They will ask the same person for the same thing over and over again without any hesitation. They eventually wear you down.

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by asking. Ask, and it shall be given to you!