How Big Are Your Questions?

How Big Are Your Questions? It doesn't get any simpler than that. Aswith most real wisdom this idea, expressed so beautifully by Mark VictorHansen, co-author of "Chicken Soup for the Soul," is very simple to understand and even simpler to implement. If you want a bigger outcome ask a bigger question. I'll take Mark's idea a step further and add that if you want a *better* outcome, ask a *better* question. In "Handbook to a Happier Life" I offer the suggestion of using empowering questions like "What am I grateful for?, What am I looking forward to?, and What am I happy about?" when you first awaken as a way to start your day off on a happier note.

What about using questions to get a bigger result? For example, let's suppose you own your own business, as I sincerely hope you do. Even a small part-time business will not only give you a little or a lot of extra income, but more importantly will give you added peace of mind since you will feel more in control of your income. This can be an important distinction in our current uncertain job market. By the way, you can expect the uncertainty in employment to continue as more and more companies tighten their corporate belts and view people as a resource to be used on an as-needed basis rather as than someone to hire for lifetime employment. So, you have your business, the economy is a little slow and you want to increase your revenue. You've calculated that five new clients or customers would make up the difference in business and income so you've been asking yourself, either formally or informally, "How can I attract five new customers?"

As soon as you ask yourself a question, your conscious and subconscious mind go to work coming up with the answers and you are given new ideas that are in alignment with your question. You will begin thinking of ways to attract the five new customers that you want. Now, what if you were to ask, "How can I attract 50 new customers?" You guessed it. Your mind will immediately go to work coming up with idea for you to attract 50 new customers. How would that feel?

Recently I asked myself a bigger question with regard to my exercise regimen. I had been doing aerobic exercise three days and strength training two days each week. One day I was inspired to ask, "How would I feel if I exercised as many days as I can for the month of June?" As you're receiving this, it is June 24th and I have exercised 21 days so far this month. I feel great, I'm reaching my health and fitness goals faster and I have more energy than before. Keep in mind that what caused this change was simply a different, in this case, bigger question. In what area of your life could you use a bigger question to bring you toward an even more fulfilling life?

Using a question to make unpleasant tasks more fun.By asking ourselves better questions, we get better results. Typically when we have an unpleasant task ahead we ask what I call a "lousy question." We ask "Why me? Why do I have to do this?" I remember years ago my brother, the youngest in the family, asking my father this question when he was told to take out the garbage. My father without missing a beat replied, "Because you have no seniority." Rather than asking an equally disempowering question, the next time you are faced with a task you'd rather not do, ask a better question. You might ask for example, "How can I do this and make if fun?" I know people who have used this and are now cleaning their houses with dance music playing. Personally I find my treadmill time at the gym much easier to take when I have a tape playing in my tape player, plus I get the added benefit of increasing my mental capacity as I work out. By asking bigger and better questions, you can dramatically impact the results your experience in your life and have more fun at the same time.

What new, empowering question could you formulate to help propel you toward youre goals?