The Power of Questions

Questions are some of the most powerful tools we have in life. They challenge us. They inspire us. They cause us to examine ourselves. Without questions, life would lose some of its meaning.

Today, I want to take a quick look at how you can use questions to overcome obstacles. No matter what goal you are attempting to accomplish, there will always be things standing in your way.

I would encourage you to use the frustration that can so easily beset you and apply that energy/effort toward something more productive. Like asking a few questions. You can use this simple plan as guide…

1. Alignment questions – This is where you define want you want to accomplish. Use these questions. Am I headed in the right direction? Is this really what I want to do with my life? Will I enjoy doing this? What impact will this have on those around me? These questions are just a few you can ask yourself, but don’t limit yourself to just these. Use them as a spring-board to discover your own questions.

Example: You sit down and look at career options before you graduate high school. Through questioning, you determine that you want to be a school teacher.

2. Action questions – You now know your direction. This step is all about defining what actions you need to take in order to move in that direction. And then taking those initial steps toward completion. Ask these questions… What do I need to accomplish this goal? Who do I need to come alongside of me? Will I need more education? What financial resources will I need? Where will I get the money needed?  Again, there are more questions to be asked than these.

Example: You know you want to be a school teacher. You now start to look at specific schools, financial aid plans, housing arrangements, time necessary to complete the degree, etc. This step is where your goal starts to take life. And you actually start taking action toward completing them.

3. Adjustment questions – You are on the move and you are headed in the right direction. This step is about making course adjustments. Rarely does a plan go off without a hiccup and this step allows for you to make some corrections along the way. Ask questions like… Am I still on the right path? How will this new (insert here) impact my goal? Am I being efficient with my resources? Is there a way to stream line my plan now that I am in action? Again, don’t limit yourself to just those. Come up with other great questions.

Example: You are in your second year of your major and a class you need for graduation is full. You may need to take it over the summer to finish your degree on time. This will interrupt your summer plans. What do you do?

4. Achievement questions – You are getting close to completing you goal. What now? Ask questions life… How can I celebrate? How can I apply this accomplished goal to my life? What is my next step?

Example: You are about to graduate and you start looking for jobs. You look at cities. You look at school systems. You look at neighborhoods. You study compensation plans. All of this will assist you in choosing the right job.

But before you jump into that exciting new career, you take a moment and go “Yea me!” for achieving what you set out to achieve. And once you are plugged into that new career, this process starts all over again with another goal.

Here’s wishing you happy goal achievement!