{"id":82787,"date":"2022-11-01T18:52:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-01T22:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=82787"},"modified":"2022-11-07T21:36:40","modified_gmt":"2022-11-08T01:36:40","slug":"how-to-ask-the-right-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-ask-the-right-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Ask the Right Questions: Targeting the Main Issue"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you’re solving a problem, what are the most effective questions to ask? How can you make sure you’re thinking in the right direction?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The right questions are the ones that give you a relevant foundation and point you in a helpful direction. In The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking<\/em>, Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird discuss the importance of asking the right questions and explain what makes them effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep reading to learn how to ask the right questions to guide your thinking toward your next most important idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Ask the Right Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The authors recommend that you ask plenty of questions to challenge your current understanding of a topic. This will help you strengthen your foundational knowledge because it expands your thinking, opening you to new insights about what you already know (or think you know).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Questioning is more productive when it\u2019s focused in the right direction. Identifying the essence of what you\u2019re trying to learn gives you a foundation from which to continue your exploration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, the authors advise that you try to find the most effective questions. They should be clear and actionable, demonstrate where you need to put your focus, and identify the root of what you\u2019re trying to learn. <\/strong>Knowing how to ask the right questions will help you reveal what kind of misunderstanding you\u2019re facing. Is it a problem you don\u2019t know the answer to, or do you even know what problem you\u2019re trying to address?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: In Awaken the Giant Within<\/em><\/a>, Tony Robbins suggests that the questions you ask yourself should generally be positive and empowering<\/a> to avoid discouraging your progress. Asking yourself \u201cwhat am I doing wrong?\u201d might show you where you need to focus, but it will also focus your attention on the negative. Asking \u201cwhat can I do better?\u201d is more empowering, clear, and actionable, but you may find that you can\u2019t get to this question without first asking what you’re doing wrong. The trick may be to find the answer to this as quickly as possible without dwelling on it so you can then move on to the positive \u201cwhat can I do better?\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make sure you\u2019re focusing on the right problem, the authors recommend that you chip away the excess information distracting you from the main point<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you\u2019re struggling to write an essay on the causes of the French Revolution, ask yourself productive questions about why you\u2019re struggling. \u201cWhat is war?\u201d won\u2019t be a productive question. It\u2019s too vague and gives you no indication of where to start. Instead, try one that addresses the root of your problem and gives you a clear starting point: \u201cWhat motivated the citizens of France to revolt?\u201d Now you know that you need to find 1) what caused them to be unhappy, and 2) what they thought they could gain by starting a revolution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When you’re solving a problem, what are the most effective questions to ask? How can you make sure you’re thinking in the right direction? The right questions are the ones that give you a relevant foundation and point you in a helpful direction. In The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking, Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird discuss the importance of asking the right questions and explain what makes them effective. Keep reading to learn how to ask the right questions to guide your thinking toward your next most important idea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":82791,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,9,43],"tags":[793],"class_list":["post-82787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-psychology","category-self-improvement","tag-the-5-elements-of-effective-thinking","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Ask the Right Questions: Targeting the Main Issue - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The right questions point you in a helpful direction. 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