In our professional and personal pursuits, we’re often so focused on finding the answers that we fail to ask the right questions. A sense of curiosity and wonder will allow you to zero in on your calling and seize your full potential.
Remember the childhood game of 20 Questions? Here are 20 that we should all be asking ourselves:
1. What are three things in your life that are holding you back?
2. What are your biggest strengths? What are the things you could be best in the world at?
3. Who is getting in your way? Who is waiting for you to fail? Who can help you achieve more?
4. When is the best time to take your next big leap? Why not sooner?
5. What could you change to leave a bigger impact on your community?
6. What regular steps are you taking to learn and grow?
7. What would you do differently if it were impossible to fail?
8. What negative messages do you tell yourself each day? What would happen if you removed them?
9. Where do you need to spend more of your time? Less?
10. Are you playing your game at the highest level? If not, why?
11. Who do you need to thank more? Who do you need to apologize to?
12. If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be? What’s stopping you from making that change?
13. What daily habits are moving you forward? Which ones are holding you back?
14. Who do you admire most? What about them can you emulate?
15. How much time do you waste regretting past decisions instead of architecting new ones?
16. What excuses do you lean on to avoid the hard work of succeeding?
17. Which of your obstacles are really more in your head than in reality?
18. If someone else came along and snagged your goal (or client, promotion, job, etc.), what approaches would they have taken that are different than yours?
19. How do you want to be remembered?
20. What are you waiting for?
Before you leap to obvious conclusions that will likely hand-deliver mediocrity, take time to explore the possibilities. Expand your perspective and you’ll be a big step closer to cracking the code.
Without question.