Question Guide for Michael Luckman

• Your book courageously looks back at some of your defining moments, some of which are wonderful and others: devastating. What’s the most profound lesson you’ve learned about success?
• What’s the secret to making the most of the opportunities and challenges that present themselves?
• You’re proud to call yourself a salesman, although you’ve done everything from selling, marketing, managing large organization, and training to inventing products. Why does the title salesman still suit you?
• Work ethic and commitment to a job is under attack today. According to Gallop, a full third of workers are frustrated, depressed and angry about their jobs. There’s a lot of dissatisfaction with bosses and policies. What can employees do now to improve how they feel and what they do on the job?
• What is it about work habits that make or break a career today?
• Your childhood was not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, but you say that it’s not that different than most of ours. Why is parenting and family so significant a factor in our lives as working adults? How is yours an example?
• You’ve written about office politics – including what you’ve experienced as a high technology marketing manager. What’s the give and take relationship that really works, helps people hold onto good jobs and gets them further in their organizations?
• You had a really rough experience working with partners in a start-up venture. We hear so much about the in-the-trenches mentality and laser focus of companies like Facebook as they first form and grow. What’s the dark side of a start-up?
• Your message is very optimistic, despite what most people experience, especially now in this current economy. Where do you get that optimism – and how do you help people gain back their dreams?
• Your book isn’t just about business and sales, there’s a lot of your philosophy and personal life that holds some life lessons for anyone who is struggling with relationships. This might be family, friends and even how they feel and talk to themselves. What would someone who’s not in business learn?

  From the Luckman’s Laws list:

• “Treat your boss like a prospect.” How do you recommend people go about that?
• “Anger, resentment and parenting don’t mix.” Why is that sage advice for the work environment?
• “God created us perfect, and then our egos get a hold of us.” How do we see the ego playing havoc with our family life and our work situation?
• “Fear and ego are a lousy combination.” What’s wrong with that equation?
• “A company’s salespeople should always be seated in the front seats on the bus.” Why do you hold sales people in such esteem, when so many people dislike salespeople?
• “If you want to get even with a prospect...let them buy from you!” How has this come into play in your life?
• “The success you never achieve is typically waiting in the moment after you accept the belief that you cannot go on anymore and quit.” How often do people quit within range of their goals – and why does that happen?

  About the exercises:

• At the end of your book, you present ten exercises to help people launch their own program to overpower fear. What’s key to taking action?
• Why is “someday” such a dangerous and defeating idea?
• What do the words “if only” create in our lives?
• How do you recommend people find the inner wisdom and will to get what they want in life?
• What’s the first step you recommend we take when it comes to starting to overpower fear?
• How does spirituality play a role in our business lives?