Learn to ask quality questions
Madeira
The quality of questions you ask yourself determines the quality of your life.
Newton is said to have discovered gravity by observing an apple falling from a branch of a tree while at the same time noticing the moon hanging in the sky. He wondered why the apple fell and not the moon. A remarkable question that lead to a greater understanding of our universe.
Okay, so not everyone is Newton asking questions that will help us understand universal laws, but we can learn to ask quality questions to do something that inspires us, get ourselves out of a pickle – or transform our lives and ultimately live an extraordinary life.
The difference between a quality question and a regular question lies in where it comes from: your heart. Zeroing-in on what is truly important in your heart to create, whether it is personal, business or other, is the first step. Then you ask yourself questions that are derived from or connected to your values.
We all live with a set of values. Some of those values are more important than others. For instance, an entrepreneur will have a high value on business and will spend a lot of time learning and growing in that area. A health expert will have a high value on wellness and will spend considerable time focussed on having a healthy lifestyle, whatever that takes. A mom will have a high value on her children, and she will put much time and energy into raising her kids, such as their education, food and clothing. An investor will put an enormous time and energy into understanding finances, the markets, etc.
For me, I have a high value in higher learning, travel, writing and media. There are other areas that are important to me, such as health and relationships, of course, and the priorities change, depending on what is going on in my life and the world around me. Right now, travel is not possible, so that area has been replaced by learning in other subjects that interest me, and other things.
One thing I know for certain that to live an extraordinary life begins with a) getting clear on your values and then b) asking quality questions.
Here are some examples of how you can turn a general question into a quality question:
- How can I earn more money?
Quality question: How can I make more money than every by doing what I love and getting paid handsomely for it?
- How do I stop making the same mistake?
Quality question: How is this (fill in the blank) helping me get what I deeply desire?
- Why am I failing at xx?
Quality question: How is this setback helping me reach my goals in the bigger picture?
The bottomline is to link your questions with your highest values and turn the question into a way of moving you forward and finding answers that will inspire you, help with clarity, and overall living a quality life.
The quality of questions you ask yourself determines the quality of your life. So ask quality questions – of yourself and of others.
*Photo: Madeira beach
**This blog post is an excerpt from my book, The Whispering Heart: Your Inner Guide to Creativity. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse permitted.
This is the second part of my How to live an extraordinary life series.
Shannon Skinner is a broadcaster, speaker, writer and author of The Whispering Heart, Your Inner Guide to Creativity and host/producer of ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com. She speaks around the world about her message: follow your heart, not matter what.
