Barrie Davenport - Self-Discovery Questions:: 155 Breakthrough Questions to Accelerate Massive Action

To be on a quest is nothing more or less than to become an asker of questions.

~Sam Keen

One of the most valuable tools I use as a career and personal coach is questioning.

A probing question presented at the right time can help a client reach tha t ah a moment when the pieces fall into place for them. Coaches ask a lot of questions, which might seem like an inquisition to a new client, but the purpose is not to satisfy the coac h s curiosity or to put the client on the spot. I t s to encourage the client dig more deeply within themselves to uncover the answer or solution they are seeking.

Often I ll ask the client a question and sit quietly, waiting for a reply. The silence is awkward, and to fill the uncomfortable gap, the client might answer , I just do n t know . I always follow-up with , Yes you do . After a few minutes, and further thought, they usually do know. The answer is there all the time. It just takes a good question to help it bubble to the surface.

Most people do n t take the time or have the inclination to ask themselves penetrating questions. In fact, it can be pretty uncomfortable when you start poking around your psyche and looking underneath the hood. There are some questions that expose wounds too raw to explore and mend without the support of a trained counselor.

However, there are many questions that reveal the uncharted territory of your nature, buried desires, and motivations. Once you rummage deeper into these unexamined areas, you can find gems and sometimes goldmines that lead to profound changes or simply daily improvements or redirection.

Working with a coach is the most efficient way to learn about yourself and how to reach your dreams. But you can still coach yourself using powerful questions to help uncover wha t s most important and meaningful to you and to facilitate inner growth and positive action.

Self-questioning is a powerful tool for self-awareness that forces us to pause from reactive or automatic behaviors and to think deeply about ourselves and our beliefs. In fact, sometimes they challenge our beliefs about what w e kno w to be true.

As a coach, I use thoughtful questions to help clients elicit new insights, uncover buried dreams, and reach conclusions about who they are and what they want for their lives. Often when I ask a question, the first comment is one of surpriseWow, thats a great question. Ive never thought about that. As the client ponders the question, the subconscious mind goes into action, and often small breakthroughs and aha moments are the result.

One of my ow n ah a moments happened during a particularly stressful and confusing time when my sister asked me the question , What would happen if you just let go and allowed the universe to catch you ? In essence, she was asking what would happen if I stopped fretting and trying to control events and simply let life unfold?

It was a profound moment for me, as it forced me to realize two things. First, my stress and worry would n t change the way life happens. Also, I realized if I did let go of control, I would n t die. Nothing would happen that I could n t cope with in the moment. The only control I have is over my own reactions.

Fortunately, you can trigger these insightful moments for yourself if you know the right questions to ask. As you work through this book of self-questions, I suggest you get a notebook or journal, and write the question on paper in longhand (not typing) which facilitates deeper thinking. Close your eyes, take a few deep, cleansing breaths, and repeat the question out loud or in your head. Then start writing what comes to your mind.