The importance of questions

The importance of questions. How good are you at asking questions? Questions are the first step to gaining knowledge. It is the first thing we do when meeting someone. “What is your name?” “How are you?” Or even “excuse me may I ask you something?” Children get their understanding of the world by asking questions. They are masters at it. They ask about any and everything they don’t know or understand. Many can even leave an adult speechless.

They ask the questions we have stopped asking or we don’t dare ask anymore.

As adults we put a filter on our questions. Certain questions we don’t ask out of fear, shame or some have even become taboo. Sometimes pride is also a factor think on the times you didn’t ask a question because you assumed it was something that you “should have” known.

The famed stupid question.  

How often have you felt relieved in a meeting or gathering because someone else asked the “stupid” question you were hesitating to ask? Such instances actually highlight the saying “There are no stupid questions”. Remember that asking questions is also a method to ensure you retain information.

Asking questions aloud doesn’t only benefit you but also other listeners and in some cases even the one receiving the question. Your unique thought process ensures that you become a catalyst for others to gain a new perspective. By sparking these new perspectives you also show the value you have for another. We all have blind spots and preconceived notions, the right question can help us discover our blind spots and validate the notions we have.

Do you ask yourself questions?  What are the questions you ask yourself? And why do you ask them? Take a moment and answer above questions.

The interaction you have with yourself is one of the key elements to personal growth. The things you do know are but a drop in the ocean of the collective knowledge. By regularly questioning your own knowledge and seeking answers to these question you expand your horizon and explore the vast ocean. Questioning your own identity is also essential as it helps you identify aspects of yourself which you may want improve on or remove. Start with the habits you have, these tend to be where we can gain the most growth. It could be something as simple as a routine you might have before going to bed. Many now have the habit of checking their phone before they go to sleep or first thing when wake. Simply analysing the why behind something as simple as this leads to a plethora of insights.  

This is but one example of a habit you can look into. You might have other routines such as always consuming a certain food at a certain time of day, doing groceries at a certain store or even your route home. 

Remember the importance of questions …

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing …”

Albert Einstein

So keep feeding your curiosity!