What Do You Say to a Billionaire? Im Stumped

[HiLIfe2B]

Hey, everybody! I am new to The 4-Hour Workweek forums and I've been reading the book for about a week. I'm just having some trouble with one the comfort challenges. Tim says I should contact successful people I would like to emulate, but I don't know what to say to them. "How did you start?" seems like such a redundant question that I wouldn't even want to answer it. Can you guys give me some ideas for questions.

Thanks in advance,

HiLIfe2B

[clanshrapnel]

Hey, everybody! I am new to The 4-Hour Workweek forums and I've been reading the book for about a week. I'm just having some trouble with one the comfort challenges. Tim says I should contact successful people I would like to emulate, but I don't know what to say to them. "How did you start?" seems like such a redundant question that I wouldn't even want to answer it. Can you guys give me some ideas for questions.

Thanks in advance,

HiLIfe2B

Have specific questions and show that you did research ahead of time (as to not waste their time). They're doing you a favor, so you have to return the favor, or at the very least, show you really respect their time/effort. If you ask for handouts (e.g., 'Can you give me a detailed guide on what steps I need to exactly do to emulate your success?') then you will be dismissed.

If you don't know what specific questions to ask, you probably need to read 4HWW more and again.

[froldt]

I would find something specific about them that you admire, and narrow down your questions to something related to that (the 20% and all that).

One person that I have thought about contacting is known for working on a number of different projects. I want to emulate the success of one of these projects specifically, so if I decide to pursue this, I will contact him to ask, "What is the one most important thing I can do to get producers to view my sample?"
This can be answered quickly but also opens the door for a more in-depth conversation if they are interested.

[Sven]

I am so nervous in talking to you. There I so many things that I would like to ask you that I don't know where to start. But I also don't want to waste your time. Then a question.

And one thing that I feel is very important, LISTEN!!!! That means keeping your mouth shut untill a new question comes up because of what he says.

[kamakiri]

Sven is right on here. Listening is the key. The chances are high that someone will be able to introduce you to a person you would like to talk to.

I did this for a friend once. There is a very famous Buddhist monk here in Nagasaki, and he asked me for an introduction. I asked about it, and he invited us to the temple for tea. This chowder head proceeded to talk for an entire hour. It was embarrassing. On top of that, he asked if he could come back and talk to him again because he had such a great time. Needless to day it took 3 years to get another opportunity to talk to the monk, and only then after going to zazen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zazen) for months. I also never lifted a finger to help that guy again.

Anecdotes aside, if you have nothing to say to a billionaire/famous person/CEO, then you have no business talking to them. You waste both their time and what is most cases is your only opportunity to ever meet them.

[Sven]

Oh, and indeed, do your homework, both on him and your own subjects. The best questions are the ones no one else has asked him yet. New questions stimulates his mind as well and gives him energy.

So do not be affraid to ask "strange" questions, or even personal ones if you feel they would fit the conversation. People love genuine interest.

Be curious! And be polite!

Showering a monk with words is not polite. ;-)

[kamakiri]

As usual Sven is right on here as well. As anyone who was on Tim's chat after his TV show premier, would know, the sheer number of idiots asking questions Tim had answered many times before was embarrassing.

If you can't take the time to google your question before asking it, don't bother in the first place.

[microtargeting]

Managed to get an email conversation with someone to work by focusing on NLP patterns and priming. The objective was not for him to aprove of me. The goal was to get a fresh conversation giong by approaching his issues with a fresh twist and a new perspective that he could think himself into. His first reply hit the mailbox within 2 hours.

Dave

[webgal]

Managed to get an email conversation with someone to work by focusing on NLP patterns and priming. The objective was not for him to aprove of me. The goal was to get a fresh conversation giong by approaching his issues with a fresh twist and a new perspective that he could think himself into. His first reply hit the mailbox within 2 hours.

Dave

NLP is so effective. I always present to clients based on their personality. Is he a kinesthetic introvert? A self-absorbed extrovert? I have a client with NPD and have made it an art to present things in just the right order so that it goes well.

At any rate, I like Sven's approach because it's genuine. Above all be genuine but not ridiculously reverent to the point of being annoying. Do listen but also respond with some sound so he/she knows you are listening.

[HiLIfe2B]

Thanks guys, for all of your constructive criticism. I am going to get to work right away.