The unexamined life isn’t worth living. — Socrates
The quality of our questions determines the quality of our lives.
Have you found that your biggest “aha” moments come when someone asks you a simple question?
Suddenly the sky seems to open up and everything seems to make perfect sense.
It’s like everything in your life just fell into place and you immediately know what you need to do next.
That’s exactly what happened to me.
A few years ago, I was in a difficult situation and I didn’t know how to change it. I had lost my passion for the work that I was doing, surrounded by toxic people, and I felt like there was no way out.
What I wasn’t aware of back then, was that when your life isn’t going the way you would like it to, you’re probably not asking yourself the right questions.
What I know now is asking yourself the right questions is the key to changing your life from one of mediocrity to extraordinary.
The following 3 questions have dramatically changed my life, and I hope they change your life too.
What Are People Going To Say At My Funeral?
I realize that this may sound pretty morbid, but it’s one the most powerful questions that you can ask yourself.
Why?
Because if you don’t like the answer, you still have time to change your life.
In his book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey encourages us to “begin with the end in mind.”
He went on to say,
If you carefully consider what you want to be said of you in the funeral experience, you will find your definition of success.
What better place to find your definition of success than your own funeral.
The life you’re living today is the legacy you’re leaving behind. If your current legacy is not the one you want to leave, you can change it today.
What Is The Most Important Thing In My Life?
What is most important in your life and what are you doing today to prove it?
Some people say their family is the most important thing in their life, but they always choose work over their family.
Others say their health is important but their actions indicate something completely different.
What are you willing to sacrifice to be successful?
Some people are willing to sacrifice their family, health, friends and even their integrity to be successful.
But, will selling your soul to be successful really make you happy?
Gary Keller says,
Work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls — family, health, friends, integrity — are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered.
Life is short and relationships are incredibly important.
Treat the people you love like they are made of glass, and ensure that no matter how busy your life is, you will always make time for them.
Researchers studied the lives of 268 Harvard undergraduate males from the class of 1938 for over 70 years and they have found the key to happiness is close personal relationships.
Men who succeeded in work, amassing piles of money, and experienced good health, weren’t happy without close loving relationships.
Answer this question honestly, and focus your time and attention on what is most important to you.
What Am I Grateful For Today?
This is one of the most powerful questions that you can ask yourself and asking it can completely change your life.
A lot of people talk about gratitude because it’s impossible to be grateful and negative at the same time. It’s also impossible to be grateful and sad at the same time.
Nothing will put you in a better mood than being grateful for all of the good things in your life.
If you don’t have anything to be grateful for, you can start with a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food in your belly.
If you need more reasons to be grateful, Researchers have found that gratitude correlates with better mood and sleep, higher confidence, and lower fatigue and inflammation.
So if you’re unhappy with your life, the simplest way to overcome it is to ask yourself what you’re grateful for.
Take a minute and write down three things that you are grateful for today.
In Conclusion
Asking yourself the right questions can have a powerful impact on your life, and asking the right questions can also be the key to changing your life from one of mediocrity to extraordinary.
The beauty of these questions is there are no right or wrong answers.
They are only meant to get you thinking about where your life is headed and to help you see any changes that you may need to make.
If you want to live a more extraordinary life, ask yourself these three questions every morning.
If you answer them truthfully, they will give you the inner wisdom to move forward toward the life that you have always wanted.
Originally published on Medium