How does one write for the public when
he is not an expert himself?
Well, the answer is simple; any
researcher who can create the time to think and find the right questions to ask
can generally get the right answers from the various sources of knowledge available.
The entire Socratic philosophy was
founded on the power of questioning right. Questions are critical to learning
and mastery. So, if we can build the habit of sincerely asking the right
questions, we can always attain truth and understanding.
Good thinking is
necessary to ask the right questions. And right answers follow the right
questions. Just as the author of “The Art of Problem Solving,” Edward Hodnett wrote:
“If you don't ask the right questions, you
don't get the right answers. A question asked in the right way often points to
its own answer. Asking questions is the ABC of diagnosis. Only the inquiring
mind solves problems.”
Frank Sesno,
a former CNN journalist and the author of, "Ask More: The Power of
Questions to Open Doors, Uncover Solutions, and Spark Change," notes that
a quick-hit and search-engine of today has made many answers very easy to find
and widespread. But he strongly points out that as good as that may seem, it also
dilutes the hard task of making deeper inquiries and asking the right questions
in search for a solution. This fading quality is, according to the English
scientist, Francis Bacon, “one-half of wisdom.”
Sesno says
we can dismantle any perplexing problems on our path to progress through
sensible and careful questions; because he believes insightful enquiries will
almost always generate original and valuable answers. In his own words, he
asked:
"What
if we went asking for solutions and posed truly creative questions that could
change the world?"
Drawing from this, I now ask: “What if
you went asking for solutions and posed truly creative questions that could
change your life?”
Well, you can!
If Elon Musk can do it, why can’t you?
Thinking and asking the right and
timely question is the real secret of this iconic figure; the man behind Tesla
Motors and SpaceX. It is what enables him to get answers that turn apparent pipe
dreams into two evolutionary companies. Elon Musk learned early on that anyone
can ask questions but not anyone can ask the right questions. In order words,
it is quite easy to just ask questions; but quite hard to ask the right ones.
Most people don’t take the time to
figure out the most excellent question to ask in any given situation. So they
execute on an answer to a wrong question which either palliates the problem or
brings up only an average solution instead of a radical kind.
Questioning right
is at the core of Musk’s strategy which is also known as reasoning from the
first principles. It is perhaps the single most powerful method used by him to
breaking down complex puzzles into their most fundamental truths. It is how he
generates ingenious answers to age-long problems.
He questions everything
using the first principles by asking questions directed at the most fundamental
elements of a problem or a concept. The following words from Elon Musk clearly
reveal his exploratory and progressive mentality.
I have included
them here because I think they may help you do better in your business and
projects. Here they are:
On Supremacy of Questioning Right
“I think that's the
single best piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing
things better and questioning yourself.”
On Converting Criticism to Good Questions
“Constantly seek criticism. A well thought out critique of what you're
doing is as valuable as gold.”
On
Accompanying First Principles with Right Questions
“Don’t just follow the trend. You may have heard me say that it’s good to
think in terms of the physics approach of first principles. Which is, rather
than reasoning by analogy, you boil things down to the most fundamental truths
you can imagine and you reason up from there.”
Elon Musk knows how to think and ask important
questions under different circumstances to achieve his objectives; and as a
result, he is accomplishing what many people once considered impossible.
Like him, successful thinkers simply ask
the right questions; and they therefore get better answers than everyone else.
An example of that is given by the British philosopher, James Allen when he
said:
“For true success ask yourself these four
questions:
Why?
Why not?
Why not me?
Why not
now?”
Right questions will spur answers that
can change not only one’s life, but also the course of the world’s history.
Questioning is definitely a requirement for progress and advancement, whether
personally, nationally or globally.
Finally, to be more resourceful,
effective and inventive, create the space to think and ask yourself and other
appropriate individuals the right questions, every time you encounter a
challenge. You can start by listening to the American leadership expert, Jim
Rohn’s counsel when he advised:
“To
solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself:
First,
what could I do?
Second,
what could I read?
And
third, who could I ask?”
If you can do that properly, then you
may be able to solve a puzzle that has bewildered your predecessors for years, decades,
or even for centuries.
Just pause to think and then ask the
right questions!
