ask

Questions? Oh, Yes, I Have Questions!

by Sandye Linnetz

I love questions. Questions can be so powerful; especially those that lead to more questions. We potentially move beyond what we know, past presumption, past black and white, past our point of view and into the realm of possibility, the unknown and even into that stuff we didn’t know that we didn’t know! Questions move us to look inside, explore, weigh, ponder and search past assumptions. Clarity and understanding are potential fallout . The value of questioning as a step just before action enhances our ability to choose, justify and move. The questions you ask are powerful tools for growth… yours and everyone else who hears them!

There is an ancient parable about a young student who, to prove his worthiness as a spiritual master, was instructed by his teacher to move a large boulder from one location to another – by sunrise. He was instructed to use all of his power to accomplish this feat. He pushed as hard as he could but the boulder didn’t budge. He was exhausted and felt doomed to failure. The teacher came by just before sunrise and, seeing that the boulder had barely been moved, suggested that the student might make better use of his power with the aid of a tool. The student took the teacher’s suggestion; ran for a strong board and began to slowly move the rock. But he was running out of time and could see that this wasn’t going to work either. He threw himself to the ground in despair.

The master came by again and quietly asked, “Have you used ALL of your power”?

“Yes”, replied the young man, “and I am physically and spiritually exhausted! I have no power left.”

“Not so,” said the Master, “you have more power. You have not asked for my help. You have the power to do that. I told you to use ALL of your power.”

The student was humbled as he asked for the wise teacher’s help.

“Yes, I will gladly help you,” said the master as he called to his other students to join them. Together, they quickly moved the rock to the new location.

Sometimes our power comes from those around us. Sometimes we simply need to ASK.

Just ASK

By Sandye Linnetz

The Beatles said it so well, “If you want it, here it is. Come and get it”! That seems easy enough, doesn’t it? So, if it’s that easy why don’t we always have everything that we say we want?

According to “The Secret” you can have anything if you focus on it and picture having it. That sounds easy. It just doesn’t sound very logical. Sorry, I’m just not feeling, it…

I can’t help thinking that there must be a missing step. Think it and it happens seems waaaay to simplified. Along with focusing on something, I believe in taking ACTION. Isn’t there something that, if done would ‘grease the wheels’ and set us up to get what we say we want? BINGO! Focus AND Action. Here’s the real ‘secret’ as I see it…

It is so obvious that most of us don’t take advantage of the simplest tool we have available to us. That simple tool? Our ability to ASK! Get clear about what you want – be sure it’s what you want and then ASK for it.  So many times we forget to do that. It really is so simple and yet we silly humans overthink and underact. Often, our fear of getting turned down (or some other story we made up about putting ourselves ‘out there’) stops us. We forget to do it, don’t feel like we ‘should’ do it – or we are admittedly afraid to do it. It’s just moving lips and pushing air…

Sometimes we don’t ask because we think ‘they’ should know what we want. Or, we don’t ask because, to us, it’s so obvious. (How many men have ‘gone down’ for not knowing what was on ‘her’ mind?) So, we silently think it and wait to see if they do it, give it or say it. Really? Mindreading? Seems ridiculous to expect that others can read our minds when they can barely make out what it is that we want when we actually tell them. I mean, really, do you read minds? It is ridiculous – illogical and very unlikely… and, oops, we’ve all done it.

Yes, there is a way to get what you want in life, and it’s the same personally or professionally. Do you want a favor? An answer? More ice cream? A kiss? That job? The sale? Some help? More money? Time off?   … ASK for it!

Determine what you want. Define it. Design it. Then ask for it. Ask a friend, a relative, a stranger, a lover, an associate, a client, a mentor or the universe, but ASK.

Be willing to make some bold and outrageous requests. (oh, and be SPECIFIC)