Guides when asking on Formspring/Email

Before You Ask

Before asking a question, please do the following:

. Try to find an answer by searching the archives of my formspring: here and here, or just search my whole blog using the Google search on my blog's sidebar.
. Try to find an answer by searching the Web (Google, Yahoo etc) yourself.
. Try to find an answer by asking your own coach/distributor.

When you ask your question, display the fact that you have done these things first; this will help establish that you're not being a lazy sponge and just trying to waste my time. Hahaha. Better yet, display what you have learned from doing these things. I like answering questions for people who have demonstrated they can learn from the answers. :)

Use Google search by using keyword(s) that is related to your question. This might well take you straight to answering your question.

Take your time. Do not expect to be able to solve a complicated problem with a few seconds of Googling (well, unless you're me, its possible to search for answers in mere seconds). Read through your searches, sit back, relax and give the problem some thought before approaching me. Trust me, I will be able to tell from your questions how much reading and thinking you did, and will be more willing to help if you come prepared. Don't instantly fire your whole arsenal of questions just because your first search turned up no answers (or too many).

Prepare your question. Think it through. Hasty-sounding questions get hasty answers, or none at all. The more you do to demonstrate that having put thought and effort into solving your problem before seeking help, the more likely you are to actually get help.

Beware of asking the wrong question. If you ask one that is based on faulty assumptions, I am quite likely to reply with a uselessly literal answer while thinking “Silly question...”, and hoping the experience of getting what you asked for rather than what you needed will teach you a lesson.

Never assume you are entitled to an answer. You are not; you aren't, after all, paying for the service. You will earn an answer, if you earn it, by asking a substantial, interesting, and thought-provoking question — one that implicitly contributes to the experience of the rest of my readers/visitors rather than merely passively demanding knowledge from others.

On the other hand, making it clear that you are able and willing to help in the process of developing the solution is a very good start. Because you're making it clear that you're truly willing to complete the process if someone can just point you in the right direction.

When You Ask

. Choose your words carefully. Please try not to sound bossy and demanding. You should sound humble and down to earth if u want my help. I can tell if you're faking it.

. Be sensitive in asking your question. You are likely to be ignored, or written off as a loser, if you ask a wrong/silly question.

. Shooting off a question to a person which you are not familiar with is risky at best. Do not assume that I am willing to be your free consultant (especially when you clearly have your own coach to guide you). Do not make optimistic guesses about whether your question will be welcome — if you're unsure, send it elsewhere, or refrain from sending it at all.

. Don't use me (or anybody else) as a comparison whether its good or bad.

. Don't start giving me new nicknames.

. Don't use caps lock when asking questions, that's like yelling and it irritates people.

. Don't ask questions even a 5 year old can answer. That's just insulting.

. Use language than I could understand, proper English or Malay. Manglish is okay, just make sure I can understand you. :P

. Don't use too many short forms.

. Please don't use to many question marks, e.g "Why haven't I loss any weight????". It makes you sound very demanding, impatient and just plain ignorant.

. Don't force me to reply your question quickly, e.g "Reply me ASAP"

. Don't end your question with "Next time, I'll ask more questions". This is what I call a lazy sponge or a fat leech. You're anonymous, so you don't need to tell me that you'll ask more questions in a future. Just end your question with a "TQ", its sounds better.

. Don't submit the same question multiple times. Give me some time to reply. :P

. If your question has be posted/emailed, and you haven't gotten a reply from me for more than a few days, you probably have been ignored for asking something inappropriate, or your email could have accidentally marked as spam. :D