The questions you ask yourself or fail to ask can alter your life's course!
You can learn a lot just by asking yourself a few questions. Questions direct your attention and make you think. If you never ask yourself questions, you may limit the amount of progress that you make in your life.
Consider the answers to these questions on a regular basis…
1. What are the most important things I need to accomplish tomorrow? When you make the most of each day, you can make the most of your life. Avoid starting a new day without a plan of action. Give your day some thought the night before!
2. Which activities and people are a waste of my time? We all fail to make the most of our time. We have activities that do little more than serve as distractions. We also have people that are just distractions or worse.
Think about the activities and people that are costing you more than they’re worth. Surround yourself with people that support you.
3. What are my long-term plans? What is the overall objective of your life? If you don’t know that, you’ll struggle to plan your time appropriately. You’ll make wiser decisions if you know what you’re trying to accomplish over the next decade or more. Clarify your goals and where you want to be in 10 years. Write it down and refer to it often. If you need help doing this, you might consider joining my Vision, Values, and Vetting class and/or 8 weeks of group coaching!
4. What did I do poorly today and how can I do better tomorrow? Evaluate your errors and poor decisions and learn from them. Making a mistake once is just part of life. Making a mistake more than once because you didn’t learn from it is tragic.
5. What did I do well today? It’s just as important to identify what you did well, so you can do it again! Identifying and feeling good about your victories also build your confidence, self-esteem, and optimistic view of your future, which all make that bright future more likely to happen.
6. How does the rest of the world view me? This is a very difficult question to answer accurately, but it’s essential. Most of us are clueless about how we appear to others. We have our own vision of ourselves in our mind, but it’s often far from the truth. If you can see yourself as the rest of the world sees you, you’ll identify a few simple tweaks that can change your results dramatically. Ask someone that loves you, and that you trust, to tell you how you are showing up in the world. Be ready to make some possible, necessary changes. But wait ... do not ask if you are not ready to hear it.
7. What are my values, and am I living them? Most people only have a fuzzy idea of their values. Once you know what your values are, it’s easier to make decisions that sustain and build your self-esteem. Knowing your values and living them also create a life that you find fulfilling.
8. What are my greatest flaws and what can I do to correct them? Everyone has a critical flaw that’s holding them back. Few are aware of their most significant flaws. Spend some time thinking about this and ask some honest friends for their advice. Be honest with yourself, but do not be too hard on yourself. We all have flaws.
9. What can I do to enhance my most important relationships? Think about how you can lift your relationships up to the next level. The direct question I ask my coaching clients is this: What price are you willing to pay to obtain the healthy, successful relationship or marriage that you desire? Do not think in terms of money. Although, investing monetarily in yourself might be what you need at this point. Think about it this way; if you continue the road you are on, will you have what you desire, or do you need some assistance? Do you need someone to help you reach your goals?
10. Who and what am I grateful for? This is a great question to ask each day, but especially when you’re feeling frustrated or down. Thinking of the good things in your life will lift your spirits, give you a more optimistic view of life, and make more good things more likely to happen. People are a valuable resource. Determine who you are grateful for, and don't take them for granted!
Some of these questions are a little tough! But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tackle them. Something as simple as a few questions might be all you need to steer your life in a new direction. Ensure that you’re not just asking and answering the questions. Take action when appropriate, too. You’ll be glad you did!
