How to use your Life Question
We’ve talked about the importance of a single question in life. Now let’s dig a little deeper on what having a life question can do for you. A life question is a question that immediately gets to the center of who you are and who you want to be. A well-formed life question will give you focus, inspiration, and satisfaction. It will be a compass for you throughout your life and will guide you through all the highs and lows you navigate along your journey. No matter how many times you ask it, when you answer it honestly, it will point you back to your heart, core values, and true purpose in life. I will briefly give some direction in writing your life question, then I want to focus on what to do with it.
The most important thing to remember in writing your life question is that it is okay to have rewrites and edits. It does NOT need to be perfect the first time around. Your life question should point you to your purpose and help you stay true to what you value most in life.
Here are two starting statements you can finish to help you get an idea of where to begin:
“What if I lived each day …”
And
“What if the only thing that mattered today was …”
Complete one or both of those phrases and you are off to a good start! Remember, the more you think about this concept of a life question, the more you can refine your question along the way.
So, you have a life question (or you’ve at least begun to work on it), now what? It’s time to make it come to life with a little action. There are three steps you can incorporate into your daily routine that will do just that:
Ask It
Ponder It
Do it
Let’s break it down.
1. Ask It Remind yourself to ask your life question. Put reminders on your mirror or on the fridge. Set automated emails or reminders in your calendar to alert you. Do whatever you can to get this question running through your head daily or even multiple times a day. If you never think about it, you won’t answer it. And, if you’re not answering it, chances are, you are drifting from your true purpose/goal in life. Distractions are everywhere in our technology-driven, busy world, and it’s our responsibility to set the pace for how and what we will live. This life question is meant to bring focus. But it will only do that if you actively choose to ask it everyday. Set yourself up for success here and take some proactive action to make sure you let your life question fall by the wayside, lost in the pace of your daily life.
2. Ponder It: Next, give yourself a few minutes a day to actively ponder your life question. This is where change begins. Don’t just ignore the reminders or simply say the question is in your head. Think about it. Consider your current day and answer it honestly. When you do, you will habitually realign your life to reflect your greatest purpose in life. This is where you make life altering decisions or simple adjustments to your routine that align with the life you want to live. So, don’t underestimate the power of pondering your life question daily.
3. Do It: Finally, you act on it. If you never do anything about the question you have defined and pondered so much, then it will lose all meaning for you. Don’t let that happen! This step can be big or it can be small. The most important thing to remember is to do something. As long as you are making movement toward your life question, you are accomplishing this step. Every day you should give yourself at least one small step to take in the direction of your purpose, whether that’s a phone call, making a list, doing research, depositing money, etc. Whatever applies to your question, do it.
Let your life question serve you and be an active part of your life. Give life to your question on a daily basis and watch it bloom as you follow these three steps. You have your compass. It’s time to start using it!