During my coaching certification, one concept was permanently imprinted
on my mind: I have to find the right question.
Logic usually points us in the opposite direction. We are taught from a
young age that the goal is to find the right answer. But I want to
defend the "right question." Here’s why:
- Answers are now a commodity. We live in a sophisticated era in which
answers to almost anything is available at our fingertips in seconds - a
reality our ancestors couldn't have imagined.
- Easy answers kill the dynamic. Because they are so easy to get, their
value has diminished. They don't incite conversation anymore. I remember a TV
show, where a group of friends had a heated, friendly debate about the most
popular food. Years later, that same group would have just pulled out their
smartphones and received a cold, unenthusiastic answer from the internet: Bread!
It’s efficient, but cheap, ending the moment rather than starting one.
- We must trade "cheap" for "deep." Since answers are cheap, we must
improve our questions. This isn't about using "big" words or complex
grammar; it’s about depth and meaning.
- The quest over the destination. Questions are deep when they are
sincere. They come from a quiet place inside us, asked not to find a single
"correct" response, but to stimulate a quest. Think of the classic: Who
am I?
- Meaning drives growth. A meaningful question contributes to
self-development or helps us deconstruct an obstacle. It forces the person to
explore a landscape of possible solutions rather than a single exit.
- The mark of a "right question." A right question might be simple in its
construction, but it lacks a direct answer. It isn't a "yes or no"
thing; it requires elaboration, reflection, and deep thinking.
In a world obsessed with the destination of a “result”, let’s rediscover
the beauty of the journey. Let’s stop settling for “bread” and start hungry
conversations that lead us to places an algorithm would never find.
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