Of all the questions in the world, the one that is perhaps asked the most is why?
Why is a question to elicit understanding, but it is like a double-edged sword.
How is that?
Why can be one of the most difficult questions to deal with.
Unfortunately, there is not always an answer to our whys?
For example:
Why must we suffer?
Why did it happen to me?
Why can’t I get ahead?
Sincerely, no one can answer those questions, for not all things have a rationale, and not all explanations are just.
So it is, when there is so much left to the universe, to open interpretation, asking why leaves us with more questions than solutions.
In such cases, the contention is strong.
And many will contend that it’s simply foolish to dwell on the why and simply stop asking.
But on this sentiment, I do not agree.
There is a purpose and place for everything.
Inquiry helps us to improve, progress, and grow. Even when there seems to be nothing to learn, there is always a lesson.
Discovery
Frankly, asking why doesn’t merely lead to endless conundrums. Asking why also leads to discovery.
Why, is also a question of purpose?
When one wants to form a solution or provide a fix to something, one of the first things they must inquire is, why something is broken?
Without knowing the why behind a broken thing, you can’t possibly know how to fix it.
The Significance of Why in Achievement
When setting out on a journey to do the remarkable, or create magic in the world, knowing your why is the core of impetus.
A few questions which can be asked on the path to discovery,
Why am I doing this?
Why is this so important?
Why do I need to keep pushing?
If your why is powerful enough, it will sustain you.
Keep Your Why In Front of You
Once your why (motive) is discovered, keep it in front of you like a guiding lamplight for the midnight hours of life. Because It will lead you to your destination.
As someone once said.
One of the most pertinent success factors is often having a big enough why.
When you find that your why becomes so much bigger than your what if? Then nothing will stand in your way.
All highly competent people continually search for ways to keep learning, growing, and improving. They do that by asking WHY. After all, the person who knows HOW will always have a job, but the person who knows WHY will always be the boss.
Inquiry means to question. It is the process by which we find insight.
Inquiry is an investigation, a seeking after. It is a tool that drives knowledge.
As one person once said, the more you know, the more you grow.
And in the words of another,
“Part of being successful is about asking questions and listening to the answers.” Anne Burrell
The Purpose of this Series
So, this series touches on some of the most important points of inquiry one will put forth in their life. With great hope, this series may guide you into asking better questions. Or, it may also help you determine which question you should be asking to move forward and live your best life. Whatever measure you might find this useful, hopefully, it serves to motivate you.
There are six major investigative questions, as most of us have learned from our grade school studies. Those questions are what, why, when, where, who, and how? And as an extra measure, I included the question, what if at the start of this series.
What is an inquiry of direction? It is the question one poses when definition or clarity is needed.
In life, one must remember that it is impossible to go anywhere or accomplish anything unless they have defined their what.
And, so it is, what becomes one of the most important guiding questions on the path to success.
Very Little Clarity at the Start
Starting is never as simple as it seems. You might not always have everything figured out when you start on a path. In fact, you may be very confused because acclimation is a process.
And confirmation often comes after the start.
That is why “what” is one of the best questions one can ask when setting on a path to better understanding?
In all our lives, we have a period of learning ourselves. This period starts when we become toddlers and start exploring our world.
We then seek to understand how and where we fit in.
Funny enough, before we can completely understand ourselves and how we relate to our environments, one of the first questions we are asked is, what do we want to be when we grow up?
At the time of such an inquisition, it is rare that we even have an inkling of who we desire to be. So we go by the things we observe, the things most prevalent in our environments. That is how we determine our choice.
Our initial selection rarely becomes our last!
Sometimes it takes a lifetime to discover what we want or are meant to become.
We look at our world, our separate environments for markers, for cues to help us determine what is possible and acceptable. And, if the things that fill our imagination neither seem possible nor acceptable, we reshape our aim.
This is sad, but that is how we come to choose our paths. Fortunately, there is a silver lining.
Things don’t have to remain the way they were.
Never too Late to Find Your What?
Yes, much of what you want is shaped by your environment and peers, which can be stifling.
But it’s never too late to make alterations.
Because fortunately, if you want something enough, you have the power to shape your reality to match your desires rather than bowing to what you have been taught to believe was an impossibility.
However, this requires a constant re-examination, asking oneself,
Is this what I really want? And then what can I do about what I have discovered?
Trust that If you want to live a fulfilled life, what is a question you cannot avoid asking?
The biggest question you will ever ask yourself in life is the question, What If? It is also one of the saddest questions you will pose to yourself over your life span.
Importance of Inquiry
One of the keys to unlocking what you want in life is asking questions. Asking questions opens worlds, and it will take you in directions you never fathomed.
“The key to wisdom is this – constant and frequent questioning, for by doubting we are led to question, by questioning we arrive at the truth.” – Peter Abelard
There is a saying that no question is a bad question. There is much truth to that.
However, some questions can become stumbling blocks while others are instruments for propulsion.
What If is one of those questions that fit in both categories.
What If Questions
Face it in life; obstacles come. And we all reach a point where we must decide to push through or relent.
Posing the what-if question can prove very beneficial when coming up against obstacles.
The easiest option is always to concede after looking at the pain of now.
However, the wise person takes an honest assessment, submits to a cost/benefit analysis, or more plainly poses the question, What/if?
A few What If Questions that Drive Decisions
There are more than a few what-if questions that drive decisions.
What if I quit? Then how will I benefit? How will it make me feel in the present? How will it make me feel down the road?
What if I don’t quit? What will I have to commit to in the present? How will it make me feel? How will things turn out down the road?
Asking what if helps to look at things realistically, allowing one to paint a more accurate picture of the short-term/long-term benefits vs. the short/long-term costs.
And if applied and considered honestly, it could save an individual a lot of heartaches.
This brings us to the point where What/If becomes the saddest question.
What If The Saddest Question
What/If becomes the saddest question when life renders one unable to progress as they once could or when an opportunity has passed and gone. It is then that what/if becomes a question of wishful thinking.
At this point, what/if becomes a question riddled with guilt?
What/If becomes purely reflective.
For Example:
What if I had taken an opportunity?
What if I had listened?
What if I hadn’t quit?
What if I could change things?
The past is already written. You can only act from the point of now. So here, this question is fruitless.
A Word to You
So remember, there will come a time when you are filling the pages left in the reflective journal of the story of your life. At that point, reflection pervades most of one’s waking hours.
So I implore you while the sprigs of life are green to ask What/If?
We face many things in life merely because we are human.
Humanity comes with a host of benefits and thorns, and the stage of life is inconsequential. We all will inevitably deal with two factors, uncertainty, and unavoidable Suffering
Unavoidable Suffering
It’s nice to think of a life that is free of pain.
But unfortunately, that is rarely the case.
Pain is an inevitable part of life as much as joy. Let’s face it we will have to deal with the complexities of pain and life’s uncertainty eventually. That is the curse of humanity.
You Never Have to Walk Alone
There is no justifiable rationale for walking your path alone. There is no reason that your pain should turn to misery and incapacitation.
Once we realize that we do not walk this road alone and others exist to prop, lift, or carry us, our burdens will be lighter as we traverse those paths.
My desire is to be that person and help others find fulfillment in life.
Fulfillment in Times of Uncertainty
What do I mean by fulfillment?
Fulfillment is a serenity, a peace with life, and all that comes with it. It is being able to deal with uncertainty and yet live in a state of repose, knowing everything will turn out okay. Fulfillment is being filled with so much hope that there is little room for emptiness.
Feeling Fulfilled is not Easy.
Fulfillment requires an understanding that life is uncertain, change is inevitable, and you will have pain at some points. It is part and parcel of wearing the skin we are in.
However, true fulfillment comes with the acceptance and the willingness to exert every effort to move forward, progress, and reach despite this knowledge.
It’s a process of getting beyond the uncertainty and unavoidable suffering
Feeling fulfilled is a process that frequently requires going through uncertainty and unavoidable suffering to learn the lessons.
Because growth is eventual, not immediate.
Personal Account of Uncertainty
I once felt that change was a plague in my life. I loathed change. I would freeze up when presented with change, no matter what face it took. But the thing is, my life seemed to change in significant ways frequently, often in short periods.
All I could ask was why? It felt like a bane to my existence.
My Desires
I desired comfort above challenge.
Certainty above growth is the direction I leaned towards.
Consistency is what I craved.
But I was unaware of how much I was being blessed.
Life was choosing me to attend its masterclass to propel my growth in ways unfathomable.
Path Ahead
I still don’t believe that I have a complete understanding of the size of my blessings. I am learning that;
growth does not occur in moments of comfort.
Muscles don’t expand in moments of leisure.
Greatness, for the most part, is born out of adversity.
While our paths and pains may be divergent, the result is the same. Tests and trials strengthen us and improve our agility and acuity. Difficulties come to make us strong.
Some Sage Advice on Uncertainty and Unavoidable Suffering
Peter Sage says, “The measure of one’s success is directly proportional to how much uncertainty one can accept.”
Uncertainty is not the enemy. It’s your greatest ally. Make love with uncertainty. Uncertainty is the core of the quantum field we’re all part of. It’s your natural habitat.
Love it.
… or learn to, if you don’t already.” ― Laurence BL
A Word for You
No one is expecting you to lovingly embrace uncertainty.
On the contrary, the expectation is that you recognize uncertainty for what it is but move with the understanding there is always something on the other side. Perhaps what is waiting is more incredible than what was on the side of comfort and supposed security.
So, walk this journey with me. Why not believe there is a possibility of greater fulfillment. There will always be someone there to help you along the path if you open your heart to it. I am growing to believe that wholeheartedly.
“To be big, you have to think big. If you think small, you’re going to be small.
The truth is, he is spot on. There is nothing as limiting as thinking too small.
Born Free: Limitless Existence
We are born dreamers.
In fact, there is nothing more natural to humankind than dreaming, trusting in those dreams, and believing in the possibilities of their fulfillment. That is what makes us human.
We live and play out those dreams for the first few years of our existence. There are no limitations.
We are explorers with no boundaries, Imagineers with no scope. In our youth, we are creators.
And if you are an unbeliever, go to any playground or daycare where children are allowed to express themselves freely and observe.
The World on a String: No limits
In our youth, the world is ours.
But then, life!
Life progresses, and we are put on the mantle of expectations. The world teaches us limits, draws borders, and narrows the scope of possibility. Teachers shut down our inquiries. Those recognized as mentors draw boundaries limiting areas of exploration. And many tell us what and how to create.
Sadly, we internalize the lessons.
We learn them well.
The Great Shift
We may not notice the integration at first. But then we perfect our craft of becoming chameleons. Unfortunately, we hide the truth even from ourselves. We redefine things to make them more appealing, appeasing our sensibilities. This is used as a mechanism to stave off dissatisfaction.
We call it being grounded, rational, or realistic.
Pretty Box full of Air
But no matter how exquisite the wrapping, underneath is still a plain box.
No matter how much one tries to dress up limiting beliefs, it is plainly the assimilation and acceptance of self-defeat.
Why?
Self-defeat is setting oneself up to fail before one even tries. And placing limitations on yourself is a self-defeating act because you cannot go beyond what you believe is possible.
So, once you have understood this, you will know that only those who dream big realize bigger dreams.
There is a fascinating story that was written some time ago. This book is filled with timeless treasures. But, this is no oddity. Books are typically where a great many treasures are found.
The book’s title is “The Richest Man in Babylon,” by George Samuel Clason.
At the story’s beginning, a chariot maker and a lyre player engage in a deep conversation. Because neither has found satisfaction in their lives as they live them.
Both desired wealth, but neither had it. And to their credit, both worked diligently. Their due diligence in their work should have rendered them some wealth by their admissions, but it did not. On dissecting their situations to uncover the reason behind the absence of their desires, they came to an important realization.
They never sought wealth.
In conversation, the lyre player spoke to his friend in true fashion,
“Thou speakest with true inspiration Bansir. Thou bringeth to my mind a new understanding and make me realize the reason why we have never found any measure of wealth. We never sought it. In those things toward which we exerted our best endeavors we succeeded. “
Breaking Down the Insight
See, the problem was that they set their sights on making an income and hoped wealth would follow. They set the bar low and expected a high compensation. Nevertheless, they were saddened when wealth did not follow.
Notice it was not that they were not successful. But their success was limited by their reach. But nevertheless, they succeeded at what they asked for.
My Message to You
So, I urge you to set your sights on what you desire. Don’t sell yourself short. Remember how you dreamed as a kid. Remember how your expectations met your dreams. You were unbounded by rationality. Redevelop that childlike faith and reach. See where it will take you.
Free from limits
Because What you aim for is what will come to you and nothing more.
Inspiraelevation 