Everything we do and think is in response to a question we ask in our mind. You might not be aware of the questions, but you’re asking and answering them constantly.
You answer these questions with your thoughts and with your actions.
Questions are our focusing agent.
The options that you see before you are a result of the question you are asking.
You have the power to create new options simply by changing the question.
Pretty huge, don’t you think?
Knowing this, it becomes crucial to bring awareness to the questions we are asking ourselves.
Consider the difference among these three questions:
- How can I remain top of mind with my clients?
- How can I add value to my clients?
- How can I nourish and nurture my clients?
Do you think these questions might lead to different options, and thus different outcomes?
Here’s an exercise to more fully integrate this concept:
Take five minutes to list three ideas in response to each question above.
You don’t have to take further action. Just notice the ideas you come up with in response to each question. Notice the difference in quality among the options. Notice which ideas excite you.
Consider this:
If you set out with the intention to nourish and nurture, do you think you’ll also add value? Do you believe you’ll also remain “top of mind?”
Funny how that works, right?
(There are all sorts of problems with the “top of mind” question that I’m not addressing here. I chose it because it’s a very popular question in many service and sales businesses.)
Let’s take this a little further. What happens when you ask:
- How can I nourish and nurture my clients in a way that is also nourishing and nurturing to me?
Go ahead, try it. Jot down some ideas.
What do you notice about the ideas you generate in response to this question? How do they compare to the other ideas? How excited are you to do those?
The questions we ask not only shape our outcome; they can also shape our experience in obtaining that outcome.
Try this on your own.
Play with this. Identify a question you ask frequently and consider some alternate questions.
Everything starts with the questions you ask.
What are you asking?
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