20 Important Questions
Twenty Important Questions
I’ve got an exercise for you and suggest you take some time to sit down with these questions…think about your answers…challenge yourself…write them down…then go to work!
1. What problem or seemingly overwhelming challenge did you conquer in the past year, and what is your greatest challenge or unsolved problem that exists in your life right now?
2. In what area of your personal or professional life would you consider yourself most improved, and what area will you focus on this year?
3. What are you going to do to improve your industry and product knowledge in the New Year?
4. How many inactive customers will you revive and turn into regular customers again? What do you need to do to make that happen?
5. What will you do to ensure you’re protecting your best customers, and adding more value to the relationships? How will you sell even more to them?
6. How many new customers will you bring on this year? How do you plan to do that, specifically?
7. What will you do to improve your physical health this year?
8. What, specifically, are your sales and production goals for the new year and how does that break down into quarterly and monthly goals?
9. How much more money will you make this year? How will that happen? What will you need to do, today, to take the first steps in that direction?
10. What will you need to do to increase THAT number by an additional 10%?
11. What are you going to do demonstrate excellence and raise the bar of those around you to perform at peak effectiveness?
12. How much time are you going to spend, daily, to improve your own sales skills? What will you do?
13. In which areas will you improve your personal, family, and spiritual life?
14. How are you going to maximize the use of your time? Where will you cut out the time-wasters in each day?
15. What task or projects have you been putting off that you will take care of within the next two weeks?
16. What challenge, wish or desire–that you’ve never attempted before–will you finally achieve this year and how will you do that?
17. Where are you going to write all of this down so you can review and revise your plans regularly?
18. What will it LOOK like when you accomplish everything you’ve just been thinking about?
19. How good will it FEEL?
20. What will it SOUND like when you achieve these things?
Okay, here’s one more question…
21. Why COULDN’T you do all of this?
Any answer to that last one is not a reason, but rather a self-imposed limitation, excuse, or lack of desire or effort.
The biggest deterrent to success looks us in the mirror every day.
What To Do Now? Click here to learn how to make this the best year of your life and remember to Comment & Share your candid feedback with friends and colleagues.
20 Responses to “20 Important Questions”
Al Smith December 26th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
I love the list of questions and will be sharing with my readers as well. Great post!
Tim Van Antwerp December 27th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Like number 8! Working it backwards right now……
Debbie December 27th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Thank you for the list of questions! It is definitely what I needed and will be sharing them with my team members! Thank you again.
Dr. med. Robert M. Santry December 28th, 2009 at 1:03 am
Montag/Morgen/281209
You challenge us with thought provoking questions. First, I will write them down, do some significant reflection, and respond with action answers. Second, I will incorporate the questions in my business and assist others with goal formulations.
An all important three is giving credit to the author and sharing his work with others. This is Win-Win in the coaching industry.
Cheri December 28th, 2009 at 1:28 am
Thank you for this fabulous list!!!
My husband and I want to launch our website in 2010, hopefully in time for Valentine’s Day.
I will also be sharing this with my kids!
Thank you!
Cheri
sham sunder azad December 28th, 2009 at 2:32 am
You have been with for quite some time-highly appreciated-your list of 20 questions is itself an alert-who would like to suffer from any complex-with an age advancing-77 at this xmas and having achieved what ever has been reasonably feasible-such drastic ( aggressive?) approach often disturb our rational conceptual planning- we lose track of what is correct? what is not feasible? what are the real remedies? who is worth all the genuine efforts? shall we opt for the pleasant day dreaming? YOU first answer these questions-lets be candid to our own conscious-dont mind this direct initiative-yours is apparently a genuine phlilosophy?-we are surprisingly equipped with a dozen of wonderful-well-script innovative philosopher- guides-we HAVE BEGUN to feel we simply wasted our life-chasing nothing but useless ambitions-gained never millions of dollars-whats all this about? we feel you will be intellectual enough to face these serious thoughts?
with sincere seasons’ greetings
sham sunder azad
FRSC CCHEM CSCI
Pia December 28th, 2009 at 3:01 am
As I work through these questions, I am enjoying reflecting and projecting. However, I felt that these questions are very business orientated – best customers, sales skills, etc. Perhaps you could add more general questions such as ‘career skills’ etc. to help people such as myself (a teacher) to reflect and improve.
Mazhar December 28th, 2009 at 4:43 am
20 Questions – actually 20 pieces of a broken mirror and each has an image of the problem – me. Time to Grow Up and Get Serious. Thanks Gary.
Bonnie December 28th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Thank you for this list of fantastic questions. I am in the process of preparing for our quarterly sales meeting January 3 and 4. We will be reflecting on 2009 and determining what we can and must do differently in 2010 to reach higher goals; and this list is a must.
john December 28th, 2009 at 9:46 am
As an auto sales rep in a schiophrenic economy this is God instruction as I have not been living my life as if my life depended on it
Sharon Espin December 28th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
I would love to have ‘20 questions’ for non-buisness, more of a general questions list. Thanks.
shan December 28th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Thanks for the questions , its making me think like hitting a nail on the head !
Edward December 28th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Amazing post Gary!
Thanks so much for sharing this very insightful and thought provoking questions with us at such a perfect time of the year. Make it a great day!
God Bless,
-ed
Israel Garcia December 29th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
I’m going to answer all of them!!! I do think these questions are brilliant.
Hopefully, I’ll share them with my crowd. Thanks for sharing!
suhas Bora December 30th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Wow:
These questions are the life lessons to be followed in every path of life and are direction oriented. I will be sharing this with my partners, students, team partners and my kids.
with seasons greetings.
Suhaas Bora
Peggy Nazzaro January 1st, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Great Questions, I can see bringing them to my team, I think they would have fun like I do setting up goals to reach them this year. Great way to start 2010 a new year a new decade….Thanks for sharing
Dee Merritt January 1st, 2010 at 1:44 pm
Great list! Really helps me get a clear plan of action for my life and my business for 2010 – thanks!
Donna Farrell January 7th, 2010 at 12:17 am
I’ve just completed the 100 day challenge, if there were such a thing as completion! Wonderful material that I applied to learning and understanding universal truths that have eluded me for a near lifetime. Completed my first 5 goals, then several more goals before the 100 days expired. Unreal! Now I must learn more on HOW to live WHAT I’ve been learning. I’ll work with these 20 questions to frame my next round of 100 day challenge. Thank you, Gary Ryan Blair.
Zita Stanley January 10th, 2010 at 5:09 am
Brilliant questions, as is usual for you. I want to accomplish alot this year and actually action goals. There has been a lot of upheaval for me in the past so now is the time for me to settle down and gain focus and clarity. Thanks Gary.
Fawn February 12th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Great list of questions, Gary. Though it is lengthy, and daunting for a time-hungry individual, it forces one to take time and reflect and dream. Sadly, that’s something I don’t think many of us take the time to do–myself included. Thanks for the motivation.