Don't Ruin a Good Question with an Answer
I recently had a conversation with a middle-aged woman about her aspirations for the future. While not wealthy, she was comfortable, and she expressed a desire to pursue multiple interests without sacrificing her freedom. Unfortunately, this created an “either/or” dilemma that lingered as low-level anxiety.
We discussed how to transform this anxiety into a productive question, and came up with: “How can I find a purpose that energizes and fulfills me while still maintaining my freedom?” However, we realized that this question was too narrow, and could lead to pressure to find a single, perfect answer.
We adjusted it to: “How might I find a purpose that energizes and fulfills me while still maintaining my freedom?” This change allowed for more contemplation and exploration.
Alternatively, we could phrase this as an IWWCI (In What Ways Could I) question: “In what ways could I find a purpose that energizes and fulfills me while still maintaining my freedom?”
Ultimately, some questions are best left open-ended, as we create our lives through the questions we ask. Don’t rush to find an answer and risk losing the potential for growth and discovery.