Shine With Grace

To solve any problem, there are three questions to ask yourself: First, what could I do?  Second, what could I read?  And third, whom could I ask?

~ Jim Rohn

I am convinced that when you have to make a decision, or solve a problem, the most fundamental step is asking the right questions.  Indeed, when you ask an appropriate question that points right at the core of a particular issue, your problem is half solved.

Decision Making

Don’t you notice that all our decisions stem from questions?  What to eat?  Where to go?  When to leave?  Which job to take?  Whom to marry?  We approach a situation by asking ourselves questions and take actions according to our answers.

Problem Solving 

This is where the “How to” questions come into place.  No matter how big or how small an issue is, basically the question you need to ask is “how to ____?”   

You only have to solve two problems when going to the moon:  first, how to get there; and second, how to get back.  The key is don’t leave until you have solved both problems.

~ Neil Armstrong 

From Decision Making To Problem Solving

So here comes the crunch.  The question asked is not “Would it be possible for human beings to travel to the moon?, “Are we capable of travelling to the moon?”, “Can we travel to the moon?” etc etc.   It is “How to travel to the moon?”  We ask the question as if it is possible, and we make it possible. 

Therefore, next time, when you have a decision to make, instead of asking yourself whether it could be done, ask yourself how to get it done.  You can always answer a simply “NO” to any question starts with a “whether” by referring to, mostly, the inadequacy of knowledge/connection/expertise/funding…, which justifies the “no” - and that’s literally the end of the question.   Asking “how to”, nevertheless, will bring about very different results for when posed a question, our brain will inevitable search for the answer.  When you are really determined to get something done, you will come up with every creative means to achieve your goal - and that’s how the Wright Bros created the flying machine.

Be Like A Child

Who asks the most questions?  The children, right?  Would you be fascinated, or annoyed by their endless list of intelligent, naive, interesting, silly, easy, difficult questions?  Please do appreciate their curiosity and ask questions as endlessly as a child.  When you ask questions, that means you are interested in that particular topic; want to know more; trying to learn more and most importantly, you are making progress!  It is indeed sad that when we grow up, we ask less and less questions, mostly because (i) we think we know the answer (but do we?), (ii) we think that it’s a silly question (well, is it?) or (iii) we are afriad of rejection (you never know if you don’t ask…). We can kill off numerous ideas and possibilities if we don’t even allow ourselves to ask questions.   

Ask 

What questions you have in mind?  What questions you want to ask yourself for long, in  regard to your work, family, relationship, religion…?  What questions you want to ask somebody else but have not gathered the courage to get it off your chest yet?  Grab a paper and right them down.  Try to answer some, make a cost and benefit analysis for some, leave those there if you are not ready to approach them yet.  Review this list monthly (or according to your own schedule), and you will start to find that you are solving them bit by bit. 

Ask and ye shall receive.

~ Bible

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