Book excerpt: We’ve all experienced frustration asking for and getting what we want. It plays out regularly with our partners, children, employers, and businesses we patronize. Sometimes we don’t bother to ask for what we want, even when it’s perfectly reasonable, thinking it will create hard feelings or spark an argument. Often, it’s because we don’t think we can succeed in getting what we want. But nothing could be further from the truth. How to Ask for What You Want and Get It: Common Sense Tips That Work will help readers learn how to ask for what they want and get good results. It teaches them how to stay in the game by using the right words. It also shows how to build rapport by using positive body language. The more you know what makes people operate as they do, the better chance you’ll have of helping them see things your way. The most important aspect to negotiating anything is getting the other person on your side. That means the person you’re asking has to like and respect you enough to do what you want. Most of the advice in this book employs mindfulness techniques. The mindfulness movement helps people live in the moment, speak more effectively to one another, and settle problems peacefully.