The push to success. The pull to tradition. It’s a never ending tug of war. Asking the right questions is the key to striking the appropriate balance for sustainable success.
Successful people will tell you – they are not the smartest, most innovative, or the most financially sound people on the planet. One of the critical secrets to their success lies in the questions they ask. In the tug of war of pushing to success while being pulled to traditional ways of doing things, they develop the habit of asking 3 critical questions that, over time, helps them achieve success that is built to last. If you want to increase your level of success and make it sustainable, start building the habit of asking yourself these 3 questions on a regular basis:
Does It Make Sense?
Achieving success that is built to last is often predicated on timing because resources (time, money, and human resources) are finite. John Maxwell sums up the price of poor timing in the following manner:
Wrong Action + Wrong Time = Disaster
Wrong Action + Right Time = Mistake
Right Action + Wrong Time = Resistance
Right Action + Right Time = Success
By becoming relentless in evaluating the timing of any action (aka investment of resources) you are considering, you will become very keen at determining whether or not the action makes sense.
Is It the Right Thing to Do?
How can you tell if something is the right thing to do? It’s actually quite easy. In my blog article 5 Guidelines for Making the Right Decision In Every Situation, the two guidelines that specifically address this question are:
Does the decision enhance the lives of others?
Does the decision activate the right behaviors?
It is important both questions be used in tandem for determining if the decision is the right thing to do because it is possible to enhance the lives of others without activating the right behaviors. Read the entire blog article, and you’ll have a fail proof plan for making the right decision in every situation.
Is It Going to Make a Positive Difference?
Every decision you make makes a difference. Successful people have a habit of taking action and investing their finite resources in things that make a positive difference. The amount of the difference required to invest their resources varies depending on many variables and successful people consistently use four criteria to make the investment “go” / “no go” decision – the outcome of the investment must be positive, realistic, measurable, and observable.
By asking these 3 best practices questions, you effectively begin shaping tomorrow today. Write these questions down on an index card and / or place them in your iPad / iPhone / favorite digital device and keep them with you at all times. And when you’re confronted with a decision that requires the investment of your critical and finite resources (money, time, and human resources), ask yourself the questions. Once you do, you’ll experience the sheer power of the questions, and your decision making process will never be the same again.
The Floor is Yours
What other questions have you asked that dramatically improve your ability to achieve success that is built to last? Please share your feedback in the comments below.
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