Daily Inspiration: “To get to some better answers, maybe you should come up with some better questions!”

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“To get to some better answers, maybe you should come up with some better questions!” – Futurist Jim Carroll

The quality of the curiosity inherent in the questions you ask yourself will have a dramatic impact on the nature of the information you will glean as a result.

Here’s a truism:  “Innovators dare to ask the questions that no one else will dare to ask!” – Futurist Jim Carroll

That’s because they aren’t prepared to accept the status quo. They get impatient with the ridiculous. They refuse to accept mediocrity and abhor excuses. People can become too comfortable with routine, and unless this is challenged on a regular basis, complacency becomes a killer. By constantly putting a whole bunch of tough questions on the table, innovators can ensure that innovation paralysis does not set in!

So today? Start your day by asking really good questions.

Yet it can be difficult to be tough about asking tough questions because it’s always easier to be nicer, to avoid stress, to keep away from things that are challenging systems. But if you study innovative people, the fact of the matter is that they are willing to deal with discomfort, and even seem to thrive on it! They thrive on this by being willing to:

  • ask those very tough questions that no one else dares to bring up
  • act on the answers to those tough questions!
  • ask questions that make people uncomfortable
  • challenge others to ask tough questions
  • ask why it has become acceptable to not ask questions!
  • ask questions that challenge fundamental assumptions
  • ask questions that show their complete lack of knowledge about something — which is ok
  • ask questions that might make their boss unhappy
  • indicate that while they don’t know the answer to the tough questions, they’re prepared to find out
  • suggest that maybe there have now been too many questions, and now something simply must be done in order to move forward

What’s the key to this line of thinking?  Organizations can become too comfortable with routine, and unless this is challenged on a regular basis, complacency becomes a killer.

By constantly putting a whole bunch of tough questions on the table, innovators can ensure that innovation paralysis does not set in.

Words to live by!

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THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO ARE FAST features the best of the insight from Jim Carroll’s blog, in which he
covers issues related to creativity, innovation and future trends.

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