In this era, a lot of people do not deem it fit to ask questions again. They simply assume, and then go ahead to do what their mind tells them. One of the things that differentiate between a successful person and the average person is not about the answers they have already, but about the questions they ask. As a matter of fact, it is the question you ask that shapes the way you think, helps you to learn, makes you to take better decisions, and helps you to solve problems. When you ask thoughtful questions, you will gain more knowledge, understand the world better, have a better perspective of what is happening, and even solve questions better. But without asking questions, you may just be limited to assumptions and incomplete knowledge.
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Something very humorous, yet very thoughtful happened, which thought me some lessons. It was during my internship. I was transferred to another department as secondment. When I got there, I discovered that some of the work machines were totally different from what I was used to. But because I thought I had an idea of how it is done, I tried to navigate my way through. A task that was supposed to take me a couple of minutes took me almost 2 hours, yet it was not even near being completed. That was when I decided to ask one of my colleagues some questions. Surprisingly, he explained it so well that in about 15 minutes, I completed the task. This showed me the blessedness of asking questions. If not, I would have continued in ignorance and assumption.
In order to develop the habit of asking better questions, you have to be curious and do not assume that you know everything. Curiosity is one of the foundations of learning. The people who remain curious will always look for ways to increase their knowledge and understanding. Instead of assuming that you have known everything, why not ask questions when you encounter something new? Even when you are learning a new skill, starting a new job, encountering something new, or even meeting experienced people, it is your curiosity that will make you to grow faster.
When asking questions, make it clear, and ask the questions that will lead to solutions. You have to understand that not every question is helpful. There are some questions that are not leading anywhere. Some questions focus on just the problem, while some others actually lead to solution. For example; a problem may arise, and someone may be asking why it is happening. But you can ask what you can learn from it, or what you can do to solve the problem. Better questions will lead you to better thinking, and this is what will lead you to better results. The questions you ask will determine the answers that you will receive.
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While asking questions, you also have to listening carefully to answers. Asking a good question is just the beginning. But even beyond that, listening critically to the answers is very important. Someone can still ask a good question, get a good answer, yet be confused because they did not listen well. To listen carefully, avoid interrupting the speaker while they are answering, and do not be thinking of the next question while they are still speaking. Pay attention first, take notes where necessary, and also reflect on what you have heard. It is good listeners that become good decision-makers, not just good askers. More often than not, there is a great understanding in listening than in speaking.
It is worthy to note that in order to go far in life, you also need to learn from the people who have accumulated relevant experiences. One of the quickest ways to learn is by associating with the people who have achieved what you are hoping to achieve. If you are to figure out every detail about your life, it will take you a lot of time. But if you simply align with those who have gotten experiences, and tap from their experiences, you will discover that what should have taken you ages will become a walkover. This is why you need to seek mentors, professionals, teachers, and other experienced individuals. Whatever you want to achieve, there are others that have experience in it, which you can learn from.
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