Be your own mentor, business coach and counselor. The right answers for you are inside of you. Below are some "Smart Questions" that will pop out those insightful answers. They will help you work "on" your business instead of just "in" your business. They will provide direction, focus, clarity, inspiration, effectiveness and peace of mind. Time spent answering smart questions could be your highest leveraged time spent.

Tony Robbins said, "The quality of one's life is directly related to the quality of questions one asks oneself." Questions invoke more of our intuitive, creative right brain. Statements, on the other hand, invoke more of our logical, rational, left brain. So talk to yourself with expansive questions, and not fixed, stagnant statements. Make time to ask yourself "Smart Questions."

Take a moment to do this simple exercise. Say to yourself, "I don't have enough time to get everything done," and experience how you feel in response to that statement. Now say to yourself, "How can I allocate more time to my priorities?" and again, tune in to how you feel. Are you aware of more idea, energy and personal power with the question?

Your subconscious mind acts as a servant to your conscious mind. It follows a path of least resistance. If you say you don't have enough time, your subconscious will ensure that you won't. If you ask a question, the subconscious will always answer it. So ask yourself good questions like the samples below The key then is to listen closely for the answers. The answers can be subtle and indirect, and they can come from anywhere at any time. So stay aware and open, and listen.

So become your own business coach and ask yourself "Smart Questions." To make this really work for you, spend at least one hour once per month or even once per week answering Smart Questions. To get the most benefit, write down the answers. Grid a piece of paper into 3 columns and 3 rows to create 9 boxes, and answer one question in each box. This keeps all your answers in view and in your mind. Then circle the top 4 to 7 items that seem most important and take some action on them.

• 1. What 5 things have I been procrastinating?
• 2. What are the hidden agendas of my boss or partner?
• 3. What are my time wasters?
• 4. In what areas should I obtain more education?
• 5. How can I increase my cash flow?
• 6. Where is my company vulnerable?
• 7. If I were Chairman of the Board, what would I do differently?
• 8. Where are we ineffective? What can we do better?
• 9. In what areas of my business have I not clearly defined goals
• and objectives?
• 10. What do my clients really want? How can I provide it?