What questions can you ask?

That depends on what you want, or what you want to know. You can start with good old stand-bys: who, what, how, when, where and why. When you ask yourself who, what, how, when, where and why questions, you need to build on your answers, so that you can get to important questions, ones which, when you answer them, will make an immense difference in your life.

For example, you might ask yourself: "How can I spend less time reading e-mail?"

Before brainstorming ways in which you could spend less time reading e-mail, you explore this question further:

Why do I want to spend less time reading e-mail?

So that I can finish important projects I’m working on.

Why do I want to finish important projects I’m working on?

Because it increases my value to company.

Why do I want to increase my value to my company?

So that I will get a pay rise this year, increase my job security, and build up my investments.

Why do I want a secure job, and to build up my investments?

So that I can retire to country in five years.

Why do I want to retire to country?

So that I can relax and enjoy my life.

You can see that going through this question and answer process lets you ferret out your motivation. And having real motivation for finding an answer to your e-mail question not only ensures that you'll be creative in your attempts to find solutions, but also that you'll put those solutions into practice.

Your questions will lead you to your goals, but don’t set your goals yet! You don't know enough about yourself to set your goals... not yet. You’ve probably set goals before. Some you achieved, and some you didn’t.

Just ask questions, rather than setting goals. You will eventually discover what your goals are. By time you get to that stage, "setting" your goals will be irrelevant. You will know exactly what your goals are, because you've discovered them, and you'll have motivation to move toward your goals creatively.

Your questions can be about whatever you like. The idea is to get back into habit of asking questions, just as you did when you were a kid. Don’t be afraid of asking "stupid" questions. Your questions can be as simple, or as profound, as suits you. Your questions always lead to something: to a discovery about yourself. However, try to make your questions specific. An example: what could I do increase my sales by 10% this month?

Ask yourself your questions in writing. Then remember to find answers to those questions that you’ve posed. It’s important to write your questions down, too.

Once you get hang of asking questions and finding answers, guess what?

You've found creative treasure.

Does that mean you immediately commit to a store and get a merchant account so your customers can pay for their orders? NO. Start your web site, and advertise it heavily. One of better bets is ezines or newsletters that target audience you wish to reach. Try to build a following on your website - consider your own newsletter.

If you are able to get a respectable number of visitors to your web site, or subscribers to your newsletter, you just might have a shot at your online store succeeding. Remember, "Content is King". If you provide good content, you will have return visitors. Return visitors are potential future customers.

Offer freebies, run contests, have guest columnists contribute; these all enhance your site. But forget some of hype you will run across. This does not happen overnight. Once established, will you make money while you sleep - you betcha.

Like any business, you will need a war chest. How much? If you're going to be selling a product, you'll need an inventory. But don't be like person who bought into Equinox (see http://www.mlmwatch.org/06FTC/Equinox/equinoxftc1.html) who has $5,000 worth of junk in their garage they can't give away.

Look for a distributor who will sell in small lots. Sure they will charge a bit more, and you will earn a bit less, but you're not in over your head. If product moves, you can then afford to buy larger lots at a lower price.

You should then know pretty quickly if it is going to work. If it is positive at that point, move to your next level. Open your online store, get merchant status so you can accept credit cards, and move forward.

Above all, use "due diligence" in any venture you take, and you just might not be "Doomed to Failure".