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Nine Critical Questions Incredibly Successful People Ask Themselves Every Day BY: KEVIN DAUM, AUTHOR OF ROAR! LET’S GET the obvious out of the way: obtaining success is not easy for anyone. Even those who make it look simple have climbed big mountains to get to the top. Others look up at these successful folks and imagine them as having the answers to everything. The truth is successful people got to where they are by asking the right questions. Questions inevitably arise in the face of tough choices—forks in the road, if you will. If these decisions are not carefully considered, choices will be made automatically. That default path more often than not leads away from success. Incredibly successful people understand that they control their own destiny and that the best way to do that is to ask themselves questions that reveal the right path. Here are the telling questions they ask themselves regularly: 1. Should I Be Doing This? Many ambitious people, like entrepreneurs, are quick to jump on opportunities. Sometimes too quickly. They end up wasting hours and energy on projects that will never be successful or bring a sufficient return on their investment. Incredibly successful people SPRING 2017 2017 SPRING understand the precious value of time and resources. They know they can only do so much with what they have, so they look for reasons to conserve. communicators, and leaders. They are focused on constant improvement. They leave “good enough” for everyone else. 2. What Is Truly My Top Priority? It may not be possible to make everything fun, but nearly everything has the possibility of being fun for someone. And nearly everyone, given the choice, would like to have fun with what they do. Incredibly successful people always look for the fun in the day. They know how to smile and laugh and want to get the most from life each and every day. A scattered mind is unproductive. Each day, incredibly successful people figure out the one thing they need to accomplish that day and focus their efforts on it. They take into consideration the surrounding circumstances to make sure completion is favorable. If they are productive and finish their objective early in the day, they can look to the next priority. 3. Will This Approach Help Me Achieve My Long-Term Goals? Shortsightedness can keep you chasing dreams until the day you die. Incredibly successful people want to achieve, not just dream, so they spend time deciding on a preferred future and set a plan to attain it. They can then easily assess the day’s opportunities against the goal and the plan. 4. How Can I Be More Effective? There are many blocks to productivity. The biggest one is complacency. Incredibly successful people always want to be more effective learners, thinkers, 5. How Can I Make This Fun? 6. Who Else Can Handle This? Major successes never happen in a vacuum. There are always dedicated and passionate people involved. They work as a team to support the vision. Incredibly successful people cultivate these teams and delegate tasks so that everyone is focused on his or her highest and best use. 7. How Will I Rest My Brain Today? Physical work can be taxing, but hard brain work also takes its toll in physical, mental, and emotional ways. Incredibly successful people give their all mentally and need to regenerate constantly. They use relaxation techniques, naps, and meditation to make sure they have plenty 10