What is your Quality of Questions?

Back in December of 2009, I attended a seminar put on by one of my mentors, Dr. Donald Epstein.  Here are some questions he asked us to ponder.  The answer we get will help shape the quality of our life.  Tony Robbins says that the quality of your life will depend on the quality of the questions that you ask.

Below is a talk by Dr. Epstein about asking different questions.

We seek answers because we believe with an answer, we’ll feel or be better.  In truth, every answer takes us further from joy.

Life isn’t defined by the answers, but the questions we ask.

Here are a series of questions.  For 30 days, read the questions. Don’t answer them.  Don’t listen to the answer you will get, for the one answering isn’t the one you want to answer.  The universe will create circumstances to create the person who can answer. Don’t look to solve these questions, they’re meant to be lived, not solved.

Questions:

1. On who’s shoulders do I stand?  Who has sacrificed for me, for what I take for granted?  Professionally, personally, family, friends.​
2. Whatever I have or possess, who has helped me and what has helped me to get it?  And who helped that person who helped me?
3. Who will stand on my shoulders?  And who will stand on that person’s shoulders? Of what continuum am I a part?  Professionally, personally, family, friends.
4. With whatever I achieve in life, who would I like to surpass me with my blessings, making what I accomplished seem small?
5. How big is my circle of We?  How many others are in my We?  Professionally? Personally? Family?  Friends?
6. Who really is my peer group?  With whom do I share ideas and dreams?  Profession wise? Personal wise? Family wise?  Who will I invite into my peer group?
7. What does doing my own thing really mean?  Under what circumstances do I feel I want to do my own thing?  When doing my own thing. Am I in a higher or lower resourcefulness state? How is my triad of change different when I’m doing my own thing?  Is the me that wants to do my own thing the same me that wants to expand my circle of We? Which me is charting my destiny?
8. When I throw something away, where is away?  Is there any such place as away? What do I really mean to say when I say “I threw it away?”
9. What are the similarities and differences between throwing something away and doing my own thing?
10. When I do my own thing, what am I not doing and what am I losing?
11. How would I feel if on my tombstone, it said “Was an expert at doing his own thing.”
12. What is the difference between being the best in the world versus being the best for the world?  How are these 2 different paths with different destinies? How do each of these paths support different questions and experiences?
13. What must change now?  What change I dare not make will I make now?  What will happen to every answer above if it doesn’t change now? What is the benefit and feeling for myself and my circle of We if that change happens immediately?  How can the fundamental change of who I must be truly become the gift that keeps on giving?
14. What is there’s not such thing as a journey?  What if the word journey was an excuse to create distance between who I was, who I am and who I must be?
15. What if there was no such thing as an open or closed heart and I didn’t have to open my heart and I never closed it?  What if there was only practicing or participating with love in various degrees?

What were your experiences from doing this exercise?  Write them below.