Hi!
In this week’s post, I’ll share with you some ideas on a concept that in my opinion is very important, but is often overlooked.
An essential skill that we constantly use, in every area of our lives and it has an immense impact on things like critical thinking, learning, building relationships and so much more.
I’m talking about questions.
In the following paragraphs, I take a look at what questions are, what makes them important, and some ways in which you can start asking better questions.
What exactly are questions?
First of all, I want to ask you to think for a moment about what kind of questions people use in their everyday lives and how often we use them too.
They can be very simple, like when we meet someone we ask them What is your name?” “Where are you from?” or “What do you do for a living?”
Some questions can profoundly affect
someone’s life like “Will you marry me?” or “How should I live my life?”
Others can be catalysts for learning, let's say, ”Can you explain this to me”
Or they might just seem dauntingly hard to solve like ”What is the meaning of my life”
Whatever the case may be, all questions have something in common, they serve as a way to obtain information.
But this should not be underestimated, getting new information, in my opinion, has the potential to paint a clearer picture of the world around us, broaden our perspectives, and have a big impact on people’s lives.
What makes questions important?
There are several reasons for this, but I want to share one that, in my opinion, stands out over any other. One aspect of questions that can help us understand a key element of our human experience. Let me explain.
The fact that a question is a tool we use to obtain information reveals that we humans don’t have all the information in the first place, that our knowledge is imperfect.
Recognizing that we don’t have all the answers and having an attitude of intellectual humility can open the doors to new possibilities for learning and growth, which in turn will lead to new questions and even more doors to be opened.
I think that the following quote sums it up perfectly
You cannot learn that which you think you already know - Epictetus
How to ask better questions
Asking good questions is a skill that can be improved and refined with practice. Here are some tips on how to ask better questions:
Ask dumb questions: It is often the case that in areas where most people agree completely on a topic, thinking the answers are obvious, there are a lot of assumptions that are left unchecked. Asking about them is a great way to challenge said assumptions and promote a deeper understanding of the topic.
Be clear about what you want to know: Before you start asking questions, make sure you are clear about what you want to know. This will help you ask more focused and targeted questions.
Ask open-ended questions: These are questions that allow for a wide range of possible answers, rather than just a yes or no response. As a result, you’ll encourage conversation and get more thoughtful and reflective responses.
Use follow-up questions: These can help you clarify information and get more detail. They also show the person you are talking to that you are interested in what they say.
I hope that after reading this you end up thinking through some of these ideas, and take some new perspectives on the concept of questions as well as the importance that they have when it comes to learning, thinking critically, building relationships and so much more.
If you like what you read and know someone who may like it too, please share this post.
Have a great weekend!
-Alan