By Robin Abrol,
http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Robin_Abrol
When I was 16 years old, I flew an airliner. I was not related to any of the crew, nor had I ever met them before. This wasn’t something my parents had arranged – I was just the same as the other 97 passengers on board. However I put into practice something I have since come to rely on in life. That is the principle of, “Ask and you shall receive”.
Some people choose to live by another principle, namely, “It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil”. In other words…make a noise and get some attention! This process also certainly works, so whether you choose to ask and receive, or to be a squeaky wheel in order to get something, it is worth realizing that in life it is the people who ask (or attract attention to their cause) that get treated differently.
So – how did I manage to fly an airliner when I was a teenager? Really, it was quite simple. I asked if I could visit the flight deck. That was it. When I was boarding the aircraft with all the other passengers, I asked the Stewardess, “Would it be possible for me to visit the flight deck during today’s flight?”. She responded by saying she would ask the Captain.
A few minutes later, she found me in my seat and asked if I would like to sit in the jump seat (a seat for observers located in the cockpit) for the duration of the entire flight. I, of course, said yes! This is exactly what I had hoped for. Approximately 35 minutes later Air Traffic Control assigned us a new heading and altitude. The Captain turned to me and asked if I would like to turn and descend the aircraft. I followed his instructions and flew the plane!
Now if I had never politely asked a member of the Cabin Crew if I could visit the flight deck, would I ever have had that experience? I highly doubt it!
A few years ago my wife had found a great deal on a hotel room online. $65 for a room in a fancy downtown hotel, including breakfast. She had booked the room via a third party website (not the hotel’s own site). The hotel was about a 3 hour drive from our house, and just before we were leaving I decided to give the hotel a call. I told them that this was our wedding anniversary break, and asked if there was anything they would be able to do to make the stay more special. The lady on the phone told me she would see what she could do.
A few hours later we arrived at the hotel. As we were checking in, the clerk said, “Oh I see you have received a room upgrade. You will be staying in one of our executive suites”. We were given our electronic keys, and rode the elevator to our floor. The executive suite was very nice. It was actually more than a single room, it was a suite with multiple rooms. On the table there was a complimentary bottle of white wine in a bucket of ice, a selection of chocolate covered strawberries, and an anniversary card signed by the manager and several members of the staff.
Later when we checked the going rate for that room, we discovered that a night’s stay there is usually charged at $559.
My third example was when I was purchasing a surround sound system as a gift for a friend. The system cost $500, and when the sales associate was taking it to a till for me, I asked for a 10% discount. He told me he could not offer a discount on a single, brand new item, only on open-box items or if I was also going to buy a new widescreen TV. I then asked if he could perhaps cover the tax for me (5%), but again he declined my request.
However when he scanned the system in and the price came up, he looked at me and said, “Oh, okay then. I’ll give you a discount on this”. He then proceeded to manually override the price and gave me $50 off – the 10% I had originally asked for!
The reason I tell you these stories is to encourage you to ask for things. There is nothing wrong with asking.
It seems to me that “Ask and you shall receive” is a principle that can have a huge effect on our lives. And I believe it goes much further than acquiring goods and services at a discount.
I honestly think that a lot of us don’t know what we are looking for out of life. Studies show us that less than 5% of the population in North America have written down specific goals for their lives. People seem to spend more time thinking about what they would like to eat for supper, than they do about what they want to get out of life. That’s just crazy!
Do you know what you want out of life? Do you have goals, dreams, ambitions? Perhaps you want to be an excellent mother or father to your children. Perhaps you would like a job in a specific career, or to meet one of your personal heroes. I’m sure we can all think of something we would like to get out of life…or even to get out of the next year…perhaps even the next few months.
Once you know what it is you would like, it is time to start asking. Ask people you are connected with. Ask anyone who might be able to help you, even strangers. Sure, there will be times that you are turned down. On occasions people may even laugh at you for asking. But be assured of this, if you don’t ask there is a much greater chance of you not receiving.
In my speeches, I encourage people to ask for the things they want in life. I always suggest asking nicely – being charming, courteous and kind. Continue to be pleasant even if you are refused what you are asking for. But notice as you do this, people will often grant you your wishes.
Then I suggest applying the power of this principle to your life goals. What kind of results could this yield in your life? Where could you go? Who could you become if you started asking more often?
It is often best to begin by asking yourself for direction. Rather than making statements about life, ask yourself instead. For example, instead of saying, “I am overweight”, try asking yourself a question. “How can I lose 5lbs within the next 3 months”? You will be surprised at the effect asking yourself can have, as it forces the brain to come up with ideas, and to help you make better choices that are in accordance with your wishes! As you ask, you open up the pathway to receiving.
Then ask others. The culture today often promotes the false idea that you should do everything for yourself. However as human beings we were built to be (and live) in community, and part of that is being able to help one another. In fact helping each other increases the feelings of joy and good will for all those involved. When I flew that airliner, how do you think the Captain felt being able to give me that experience? Do you think the hotel staff felt good or bad about making our stay a more special and memorable occasion?
As I end this article, permit me to leave you with two thoughts.
1 – Begin by asking yourself what it is you seek to get out of life. Once you know the answer to that, begin asking! First ask yourself, “How can I get to where I want to be in life”? Then ask friends, family members, colleagues, even strangers if they can help you. You might decide to ask for some supernatural help too if you believe in a higher power.
2 – Be open-minded when someone asks you for something. You can increase the realization of this principle, and of good in the world, if you are the person who gives to someone who is asking. Be kind and generous when opportunities present themselves. Seek to be the one who makes other people’s dreams come true. In turn you may well experience the unfolding of another principle in your life, “You reap what you sow.”
Robin Abrol is a Canadian motivational speaker available for bookings in Canada and the USA. Having achieved 4 major life dreams by the age of just 32, he encourages people to find their purpose and live the life of their dreams.
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