5 Power Questions to Ask Yourself Today

I always believe that questions are powerful in that they have a direct and dramatic effect on your focus at any moment of time.  If you ask positive questions you'll become creative and positive, if you ask negative questions you'll become handicapped and resigned to fate.  As what Anthony Robbins said, it is the questions (and the hard questions that you fail to ask) that ultimately shape your destiny.

Starting from today, you can ask yourself the following 5 power questions:

1.  What is Exciting Now?  

So far 2014 has started weak and many people wondered: how long would this downturn last?  Why not ask a more powerful question instead?  By asking yourself what's so exciting, you'll realize that the weak financial markets have created opportunities like:

• Bargain shares, especially those companies that do well and pay quarterly dividends;
• Business opportunities, for those people that dare to take the risk and buy on the cheap;
• More employees available for work, as fewer people would go into business and many employees would not dare to ask for raise;
• If you are an employee, there are tremendous situations where you can outshine and help your employer make more money, like make more sales and lower costs through productivity;
• Plenty of time for people to take stock and brush up their skills and go for training. 

2.   What Can be Changed to Suit the New Environment?

Maybe you should change your people's attitude to become more Korean-style: creative and relentless innovation.  Just look at the countless new models of smartphones made by LG and Samsung and you'll know what I'm talking about. It's time that our people 'wake up their idea' and put in more effort at work instead of just putting in hours at work.

3.   What Action Am I Willing to Take Now to Suit the New Environment?

This is not about plans but instant actions that you can take NOW.  Like what our trainees told us: they will now make more phone calls to look for new business instead of relying on old clients.

4.   What Price Am I Willing to Pay? 

Either you pay the price now or you'll pay the price later, but in bigger amounts.  It's time that people take lesser breaks at work, and go for the long haul instead of gunning for quick runs. What are you willing to stop doing to create the ideal situation?  

5.  What Can I do to Enjoy the Process While I work towards my Ideal?

This last question is the most powerful for it takes you out of suffering mode and straight into enjoyment mode.  Questions 2 to 4 are tough questions and you have to endure hard work to put them into action.  But we know that the rewards are sweat, and even sweeter is the journey, for it's the journey that brings us happiness, not just the destination.  

By Andy Ng, Chief Trainer Coach at Asia Trainers, details of sales courses here.