A Successful Life Starts with You - the Top 10 Questions to Ask

Don't we all want to grow into the fullest and most authentic expression of ourselves? Shakespeare wrote, "To thine own self be true." When it comes to creating a successful life the place to start is with ourselves. Read on and discover a daily practice to help you really get to know yourself!

Success in life can mean different things for different people. But one thing that's common to most people's definition is the ability to be true to ourselves no matter what is going on around us. But in fact it's impossible to be true to yourself if you don't know what's really important to you.

By weaving personal growth and spiritual development skills into your day to day activities, you can ensure that no matter what success means for you, you will achieve the goal of knowing yourself and have the skills to move toward the kind of life YOU want to create.

Sometimes when we create a BIG picture of how we want our life to be, we forget about the SMALL details that get us there. To avoid this pitfall it's good to check in with yourself on a regular basis.

Take a few moments each day to ask yourself, "Am I being true to myself in what I am doing in this moment, today, this week?" Staying true to your values and principles can make all the difference in creating a successful life--one where you're happy, fulfilled and inspired.

We've developed 10 questions to help you stay true to yourself while your creating the big picture of your life.

Know Thyself: 10 Personal Growth and Spiritual Development Questions

1. Am I happy in this moment?

Anytime is a great time to ask this question, because added up each moment becomes your life! Check in with this question as often as you can remember. If the answer is yes, celebrate! But if the answer is no, find something that will make you happier in that moment.

2. Am I comfortable with the direction my life is headed?

Change is the only constant in life. Our lives are constantly shifting and changing, so it's important to check in from time to time and see if the direction you're headed is still getting you to where you want to end up. Asking this question frequently ensures that small adjustments can be made, instead of allowing much time to pass and then realizing that you're in need of a major course correction.

3. Is there anything I can improve about my self that would dramatically enhance my life?

This is a tough question to answer. Recognizing that something about yourself needs to improve may even bring up fear, sadness or regret. But taking the time every once in awhile to do an honest self-inventory of your habitual behaviors and choices, allows you to identify areas for improvement and lets you make conscious choices that will bring more happiness into your life.

Try not to beat yourself up if you find things you would like to change. Get clear about how you want to be instead and what needs to change to get there. The very act of creating the intention to change will move any fear, sadness or regret right out of your life.

4. What do I believe is possible for my life?

It's been said that we can only have what we believe is possible. He may discover that you don't believe what you want is actually possible for you. Honestly answering this question can give you incredible insights into what may be in your way of getting what you want.

It's also been said that a belief is simply something we often repeat to ourselves. Find a different belief that is more like what you want to have and then look for reasons why this is true. Then make it a habit to repeat this belief more frequently than the one that is standing in your way.

5. What do I value most?

Your values are the essence of who you are. Getting clear about them what they are and then living in harmony with them is a guaranteed way to be the fullest expression of YOU!

Increasing your "Value Intelligence Quotient" is the one area where we find people can most easily make the biggest improvement in their life. Like most other forms of intelligence, your ability to know what you value and practice applying this understanding in concrete ways to improve your life is possible with practice. You can download our free values exercise worksheet if you'd like to improve your VIQ.

6. What do I want more than anything else?

Yes, this question might seem overly simple, but how many times do you actually stop and ask yourself this question and then really listen to your answer. You might find that each time you ask this question a completely different answer occurs to you.

So, start asking. Stop and truly listen to your answer, and then identify small step towards getting it. You are worth it.

7. What motivates me?

Motivation is the fuel that powers our actions, our actions are what create the results we experience in life. To answer the question, what motivates me, take a look at your life. When you accomplish something, identify what it was that motivated you to complete it. Watch when you get excited, what are you feeling excited about, that's motivation.

You can also learn by discovering what your motives more when you didn't take the actions that you said you would. If you set a goal, and then fail to achieve it, look at how you spent your time instead. Identifying these motivations can be just as important to your ability to be true to yourself.

When you discover what truly motivates you, you are well on your way to creating a life you love.

8. What kinds of experiences are most important to me?

You have to know what you want to experience to really go for it! Make a list of what's important in each area of your life--family, intimacy, spirituality, community, profession, etc. Spend some time each week focusing on ways you can experience more of what you want in each of these different areas.

9. What do I appreciate most about myself?

This question is essential for creating a life you love. It's very challenging to love your life if you can't identify anything you appreciate about yourself. Make a habit to notice and then celebrate success in your life, whether it's accomplishing a goal or behaving in ways that are in harmony with your values. Appreciation for who you are is an essential ingredient for appreciating your life.

10. What am I grateful for?

Appreciating what you have in your life is just as important as appreciating yourself if you want to experience your life as successful. In fact, an attitude of gratitude is the most powerful force we knew of her bringing more of what we want into our lives.

If you want to live your fullest life, if you want to be happier in any moment, ask this question of yourself every day. When you're in the process of being grateful you can't help but feel good.

The more you are grateful for what you have, the more you will have to be grateful for.

Simple Questions, Profound Results

You are the only one that truly holds the key to achieving success in your own life. Make it a practice to ask the questions. Make a commitment to continue asking and answering them--and then acting on your answers.

The best way we found to do this is to write down what occurs to you whenever you spend time asking yourself these questions. Fixing your answers on the page helps you embed them in your consciousness. Seeing them in print helps overcome any fear about the changes you want to make and adds excitement to achieving your goal of knowing yourself. After each answer, write down any actions you want to take that will help you experience success in that area.

These may seem like simple questions, but knowing your answers to them can create profound results in your life. Ask them, listen to your answers, and take action to bring on the successful life you want.

Then enjoy the results as you move closer and closer to achieving the success you want in life. We bet that along the way you'll love the practice of being true to yourself!