However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results. ~ Winston Churchill

Are effective questions part of your ongoing inner and outer dialogue? Are you paying attention to the way you ask yourself questions as you move through your day? Your questions set the stage for your mental and emotional clarity. Your questions determine your trajectory and focus for accomplishing tasks.

Questions that promote wonder and curiosity help you open your thinking to have better opportunities and possibilities to come forth.  How can I accomplish ______________ in a happy and joyful manner? is a better question than “What do I need to get done?” By having curiosity and wonder in your thinking and words, you become more open to successful strategies.

Strategy is a word I hear all the time in business and in vision planning. I asked someone the other day about their results and they stumbled. He told me that his strategy was all that mattered. He knew it was a good one and he was focused on following through. I asked him what his evidence procedure is to determine the effectiveness of his strategy. He was confused. He was so focused on following a strategy that he was not paying attention to if it was working or not. He was not able to share the questions he was using in his inner dialogue to help secure his success. Focusing only on strategy without paying attention to your inner dialogue and questions yields more struggle than you may want to deal with day to day.

I have a client who arrived all focused-on results and she could not tell me her strategy. She seemed to be doing many things hoping something would give her the number she is seeking. She was not aware of her inner questions. As we explored, we uncovered much that was unconsciously slowing her down or even distracting her from her goal. She is the other extreme of my colleague. In my business and personal ventures, I like to look at both strategy and results. I remember when I had little strategy and just followed my ideas. Now, having a nice balance is working well.

Have a strategy and the evidence procedure for your results. Use good questions that promote solutions and inspiration. This way both your strategy and results can be duplicated and enhanced.

Try this: Ponder your life strategy. Do you have one? Write it down to make it real and so you can really see what you are operating with to make decisions. Now, write the questions that you are asking yourself.  Are your questions serving you or distracting you? Ponder the results you are receiving in work, relationships, health and fulfillment. Are your questions supporting your strategy in yielding the results you are seeking?

For more information and assistance with creating more effective questions. Contact us for a free 25-minute conversation to see how we can assist.