From Tom: A nice little MBO request occurred for me the other day. My wife gave me a list of things to buy at Kroger, and she asked me to pick up some medicine at the CVS drive-through window. I requested multiple MBOs: for an easy drive to Kroger, to find everything I needed, and for everything to go quickly and smoothly at CVS, especially as there can be more than one car waiting at the window.

At Kroger, no one was ahead of me when I checked out. When I arrived at CVS, just one car was ahead of me, and she left within a few minutes. The pharmacy tech quickly found the medicine I needed, which only cost six cents. As I was about to roll up my window, he said, “Wow, you really started a line!” I looked behind me and saw three cars waiting. I could have been sitting there for another twenty minutes or more. Requesting MBOs works, even for the most mundane needs!

John writes: I got a nice letter the other day from the IRS saying I owed them over $9,000 from missed payments in 2017. I responded with this MBO: “Angels and guides, here is a most benevolent outcome request: Make this debt go away. Thank you!” (I’m very direct in my requests. No beating about the bush!)