There’s nothing better than a good question.
You know the kind.
A juicy question that starts the wheels turning. One that invites breakthrough thinking and offers newfound clarity.
Those are the kind of quality questions I love.
The problem is, sometimes we have to wait a long time before someone asks us the kind of question that opens that door to self-discovery.
Well, there’s no need to wait. Because you can use this insight-producing exercise anytime to ask yourself questions that generate insight, lead to action, and ignite change.
Here’s how it works: 7 questions
This exercise is designed to spark seven questions about what’s on your mind in relation to your present-day reality—one question each starting with Which, Who, When, Where, What, How, and Why.
All you need to do is come from a place of curiosity and openness to the questions on your mind. For instance, imagine what you’d ask if you had a crystal ball or think about the questions that keep you up at night.
Let me give you an example. These 7 questions are from a client unhappy in her current job who’s contemplating a career change.
- Which field will bring me long-term satisfaction?
- Who do I need to be to make a successful career transition in the next 6 months?
- When will I make time to work on my resume and network?
- Where is the sweet spot between passion and practicality when it comes to how I earn a living?
- What is the best way to tap into my network for help?
- How do I position my past experience to get a job in a completely new field?
- Why do I always get the itch to change jobs after 2–3 years?
Simply surfacing these questions helped my client start to gain clarity. Having concrete questions to answer helped dial down anxiety and overwhelm so she could get into action around changing careers.
That’s what usually happens because explicitly asking a question that’s niggling at the back of your mind starts the wheels turning. Consciously and subconsciously you begin to percolate on the answers.
Will you give it a try?
Carve out a few minutes and find a distraction-free location. Get quiet and think about the current landscape of your life. Then ask—and eventually answer—the 7 questions on your mind:
Which?
Who?
When?
Where?
What?
How?
Why?
