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The 2 Questions You Must Routinely Ask if You Want to Reach Your Goals Faster

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how to reach your goals faster

How many of your decisions can be explained by: “That’s the way things are done”? Clayton Christensen, the world’s leading authority on the topic of disruptive innovation wrote that, “[an] IBM poll of fifteen hundred CEOs identified creativity as the number-one ‘leadership competency’ of the future.”

Do you accept and follow the way things have always been done, or do you have the capacity to creatively think outside the box and find a better way?

What if you’re one of the many unlucky souls that was not blessed with the talent of creativity? As sales expert and author Jeffrey Gitomer puts it, “Creativity is a science that you can learn.”

The 2 Questions That Lead To Endless Innovation

There’s no need to wait for inspiration to strike. There are numerous techniques and exercises that can be proactively employed in order to develop creative ideas, strategies and solutions.

Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko is a treasure trove full of such tactics. If you want to become more creative and innovative in both your personal and professional life, then it’s absolutely worth a read.

One of my favorite creativity exercises involves asking the same two questions over and over again. It’s a simple, but effective way to become a truly innovative thinker.

Question #1: Why?

Asking “Why” is an important first step to finding a better way of doing things. Take for example Sally Sellmorestuff.

Sally is a sales manager who wants to bring in a motivational speaker to speak to her team. She could ask herself, “Why should I invite a motivational speaker?” The answer would probably be that she wants to generate a more optimistic attitude among her team.

But, Sally shouldn’t stop there. Remember, this method involves asking the same two questions over and over again. So, she should ask…

Q: Why do I want to generate a more optimistic attitude among my team?

A: So that they will work harder.

Q: Why do I want them to work harder?

A: So that they will sell more products.

Q: Why do I want them to sell more products?

A: So that the numbers for my department look better.

Q: Why do I want better numbers?

A: So I can get a promotion.

Q: Why do I want a promotion?

A: So I can make more money.

Q: Why do I want more money?

A: So I can buy a nicer house and car.

Q: Why do I want a nicer house and car?

A: So I can enjoy life more.

At this point, Sally has recognized some of the deeper motivations for her actions. This leads us to the next question.

“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

Question #2: How?

At each stage of her questioning, Sally can ask herself if she is making the ideal choice. For example, is bringing in a motivational speaker the most efficient and effective way to generate a more optimistic attitude among her team?

She can then ask herself “How” else she could accomplish this goal. Would it be more effective to engage in one-on-one mentoring with the individuals in her team? Could she accomplish her goal more efficiently by purchasing a motivational book for each team member? Would it be enough to simply send a motivational quote to her team via email once a week?

The real beauty of this system is that she can ask “How” at every stage of her original line of questioning. So, for example:

How can I get my team to work harder?

How can we sell more products?

How can I make more money?

How can I enjoy life more?

And so on…

If Sally could come up with just three new how’s for each of her why’s, she would suddenly have over 20 strategies from which she could choose, that might bring her closer to achieving what she wants in life.

With all these choices, she might recognize a much better way to reach her goals. For example, depending on her personal preferences, she might determine that if her real goal is to enjoy life more, then she should quit her job, move to the country and start her own farm. In that case, inviting a motivational speaker is not even close to the ideal way for her to achieve her real goals.

On the other hand, she might determine that bringing in the speaker is indeed most likely the best thing to do. In that case, at least now she has a much clearer picture of what she wants in life. That’s something she can keep in mind and make use of in the future.

“No one is dumb who is curious. The people who don’t ask questions remain clueless throughout their lives.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson

Conclusion

Why spend time on social media? Why start the morning with a cup of coffee? Why stay in your current job? These are all questions that could get the ball rolling. These are all questions that could help you discover the real reason why you want the things you want.

If you’re willing to ask “Why” and then “How” you may discover that achieving your goals is much simpler than you thought. Chances are, you have many more strategies to choose from than you realized.

I recommend making it a habit to routinely ask “Why”. (And don’t be satisfied with, “That’s the way we do things.”) Then ask “How”. See if you can’t find a better way. Make this a routine and you may soon discover endless possibilities for improvement in your work, your relationships, your finances, your hobbies and your entire life.

How do you bring creativity and innovation into your life? Let us know by commenting below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

Seth Coyne is a copywriter and branding consultant. Click here to download his Innovation Cheatsheet with 9 hacks to creating an endless stream of brilliant ideas for entrepreneurship, business growth and career advancement. You can follow him here on Twitter.

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Success Advice

How Your Beliefs Can Supercharge or Sabotage Your Success

Your life is dictated by beliefs and biases that drive your thinking, behaviors, and decisions

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Your Beliefs Can Supercharge or Sabotage Your Success (1)
Image Credit: Midjourney

Pause for a moment and ponder two pandemic-era beliefs: First, closing schools will control the spread of a serious virus. Second, the consequences of such school closures—particularly social interruption and the prevention of immunity—are worse than becoming sick with the virus. (more…)

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Success Advice

How to Break the Cycles of Mediocrity and Manifest Your Greatness

There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity

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Image Credit: Midjourney

In just a few weeks, we will be wrapping up 2023. Can you believe it? This year has been absolutely incredible for me.

I have seen amazing doors opened, new relationships formed and I am seeing dreams realized in my life. While this seems like the hallmarks of a great year, this has also been the most challenging year of my life. With all of the change happening in my life, I have been forced out of my comfort zone and challenged to grow in every area of my life.

I can truly say that I have made the most of my moments this year and I have used everything as a catalyst for maximizing my greatest potential.

As a revolutionary leader, I have the pleasure of consulting and advising leaders around the world to fulfill purpose, realize their greatest potential and make an impact.

I want to share some insights with you that will help you to break cycles of mediocrity and manifest your greatness

Everything legal must come through the matrix

I am sure that some of you are wondering why I am using the term matrix. However, what you have to understand is that I am trying to make a highly complex spiritual principle practical to understand.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, every life has an origin and I believe that origin is divine and begins with eternity. You are birthed from eternity and into time to fulfill a unique purpose and assignment in your lifetime and generation.

The matrix is simply the portal or vehicle that brings something out of the invisible realm and into tangible form. The problem with much of the teaching today is that it excludes the matrix. We are told to believe that success is instantaneous and overnight.

Nobody talks about how a dream progresses through stages beginning with visualization and ultimately culminating in manifestation. Without a matrix or portal then everything that you attempt to birth and build will be illegal.

The matrix not only makes you legal but it gives you the authority and power to function as the greatest expression of who you were created to be. 

Every matrix has an incubation process

While many people admire and respect me today, I remember a time when nobody knew who I was or the significance of my message. How did I get to where I am today? I got here through an incubation process.

In other words, everything that has been destined for your life is incubating and awaiting a set time of manifestation. The problem is that most people live their entire lives idle and never initiate the incubation process.

What do I meany by that? Most people are living reckless and very few people are living intentionally. I am amazed at the number of people I have conversations with that have no vision, goals or strategies for their lives. They show great promise and they have undeniable potential.

However, without development they will die with their dreams still in them.

Everything that has been destined for your life must be incubated and converted to become realities born to time. 

“Visualize this thing that you want, see it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin to build.” – Robert Collier

You must give expression to that which is not yet born to time

When you think about a matrix or a prophetic incubation process, you have to understand that potential is often unrealized and untapped. In other words, your potential is in raw form and your potential cannot serve you as long as it is untapped.

The thing that makes me valuable is that I have the ability to convert potential into power. I have done it in my own life and I have empowered leaders around the world to do the same. How do you convert potential into power?

First, it is important to note that you have to perceive potential. If you cannot perceive your potential then you can never cultivate your potential. In addition, you must take the time to cultivate your potential. We often get excited about our capabilities; however, we never expand our capacity in order to realize our greatest potential.

In other words, the strength of your potential is only discovered through your willingness to stretch. The more we are challenged the more we are empowered to expand our capacity for greatness. Most of all, you must begin to express your potential. The expression of potential is different for every person.

For example, the expression of my potential is best demonstrated through the thoughts, ideas, products, services, books, etc.

For another person the expression of potential may look like a screenplay, artwork, sports, scientific discoveries, medical breakthroughs, etc.

Regardless of the form of expression, I know that you will live empty and unfulfilled until you make the decision to express your potential. The expression of your potential gives voice to your dreams, life to your vision, significance to your moments and activates your true power.

You must manifest your greatness

As a revolutionary thinker and leader, my work has impacted people around the world. I am grateful that my life is a source of empowerment to so many people. However, before anyone could ever benefit from my life, I had to make a non-negotiable decision to become who I was born to be.

I wish I could tell you that this journey is easy and that you will get there overnight. However, in a world that celebrates us for doing we are often criticized for being. As a result, I wasted a lot of time trying to be who other people wanted me to be instead of being who I was born to be.

There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity. It is through our bravery to be vulnerable that we ultimately manifest our greatness. We do not bless the world by being a duplicate. We bless the world when we honor our difference. When you honor your difference you honor your potential.

Ultimately, your difference is how you manifest your greatness.

When you present anything but your authentic self to the world, you are playing small and you are robbing the world of your significance. Manifesting your greatness requires you to master your gifts.

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Success Advice

Here’s a Young Man’s Antidote for the Uncertainty of the Modern World

Why do a lot of young guys lack confidence in today’s world? 

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How to boost your confidence
Image Credit: Midjourney

We all have been told that confidence is a key factor in achieving success and happiness in life. But what is it exactly? (more…)

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Success Advice

Toxic Leadership: 5 Ways to Identify a Bad Leader

if you have a leader who displays any of the toxic traits, it’s time to move on to greener pastures.

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Toxic leadership
Image Credit: Midjourney

Let’s be honest, we’ve all crossed paths with a toxic leader in our careers at some point. Unfortunately, while some toxic leaders don’t even bother to hide their behaviour, some know very well how to conceal their true selves behind a strong-built facade. The latter is the most dangerous of the two. (more…)

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