It’s often hard to ask for things that you really need, whether for yourself, someone else, or for your business. But to gain real success in life, you must be able to ask those hard questions. 

Here’s an outline that will allow you to ask for anything.

Five Steps to Ask for Anything

1. Know what you want and be very specific about it.  Know the exact end results you are going for. Picture in your mind’s eye, exactly what will unfold.  
   
   
2. Write down what you want.  Write down exactly the result you want. Make it clear and unambiguous. “I want a  meeting with the CEO of XYZ company."
   
   
3. Write the request in the form of a call-to-action. Write out your request in a format that is very easy to say yes to. This might be an agreement on a minor point such as, “Would you be able to make this call by the end of the week?"
   
   
4. Practice asking out loud. Good practice approaches include talking in front of a mirror, into a recording device, or with a friend/spouse. Practice until you feel comfortable and natural. 
   
   
5. Expect the answer to be YES! Don’t wait. Seek immediate opportunities to ask. Stick to the script you’ve written and expect a positive response.