Questions to ask yourself: The 3 compass questions
Full throttle in the wrong direction?
Two introductory questions to ask yourself: Are you aware of the direction your life is currently heading? Does the direction fit or does it need a course correction?
It is crucial to recognize the priorities in our lives so that we can do the things that are right for us (= effectiveness).
In our dynamic world we pay great attention to being particularly efficient - time management is a big issue. Despite all the increases in efficiency, the thing that should not be neglected is effectiveness. What's the difference between these two? And which is more important?
Efficiency is doing things right
Effectiveness is doing the RIGHT things.
Effectiveness relates to direction. Regardless of whether you are fast or slow, the direction has to be right. Otherwise, we will end up at a different destination than where we actually wanted to go.
How to stay on track: Pause regularly to check your compass and to determine your position and direction:
These questions to ask yourself will guide your actions through reflection:
1. The lottery question
What would you do if you won the lottery and were financially free?
What would change fundamentally? What influence would financial freedom have on what you currently do?
What would you change?
What would you NOT change?
What would you do differently?
Would you change something significant, or just little things?
What would you do immediately, what in the long run?
Would you be happier?
Some people have very specific ideas about what they would do and change:
They would quit or work less, tackle a riskier more exciting project or cancel a boring one, dare to do something specific. Or finally write a book, learn the piano or spend the winter months in a sunny country.
Whatever it is, basically all these thoughts are the guardrails that point you in your direction. That is where you want to go.
The Lottery question leads you to identify your desired direction. In a second step you could ask yourself the lottery question as a light version. What would be a small step in the right direction? Maybe there are some „lottery-light ideas“, when you start thinking out of the box.
Lottory-light version: What possibilities are there without winning the lottery?
A thought example: Lisa would quit her job if she won the lottery. However, not because she is interested in something else, but because she does not like her current job.
What would now be a possible lottery-light version? Perhaps Lisa could afford to cut back to a 4-day week by consuming less? On the 5th day, Lisa could figure out what she likes better.
Marie would also quit, but she would know exactly what to do instead: become a writer! Here, too, a 4-day week could be the lottery-light version. By moving in with her boyfriend, she could save rent and work one day less in return. On the 5th day she writes. Maybe she starts with a novel, short stories, or a blog. She can try out life as a writer and find out how she likes it. She can bring creativity back into her life.
Or, how about simply taking an hour each morning to write before you go to work?
If Fred won the lottery, he would emigrate for 4 months every winter. But what about starting with a 3-week winter vacation instead? He might even seek unpaid vacation days or an extended home office arrangement.
And why on earth does it take winning the lottery to finally learn to play the piano? :)
2. The retrospective question
Imagine being struck by lightning tomorrow.
Looking back, what would you regret not doing?
Would you regret that …
you never dared to publish your poems?
you never tried to apply for that job?
you worried about little things too often?
you were too stingy to treat yourself to something special, even though you had enough money?
you never dared to approach and contact that interesting person?
... you never went abroad, you never went to Australia and you never went whale watching, because you always waited for the optimal time?
Would you regret that you have always been too reasonable / comfortable / hesitant / discouraged?
Good news: Chances are good that no lightning will come tomorrow!
3. The role model question
What would Superwoman do?
Imagine you’re stuck in a tricky situation. Or you're at a crossroads and don't know which direction to take. And let's say Michael Jordan is your role model. Or the Dalai Lama. Or Oprah Winfrey.
What would your role models do?
Would they choose the safe path? Or would they choose the exciting one?
How would they deal with fear? Would they face it would they let fear block them? Would they interpret fear as a challenge or as a cause for resignation?
How would Superwoman or Elon Musk react if they hit an obstacle or if something didn't work out? Would they give up? Would they complain?
This change of perspective works great with all kinds of role models. But since most people probably find it difficult to name a "universal role model," the simple solution is to choose for several role models, so that there is a role model for each of your values.
You could take a role model for patience, one for kindness, one for communication, for perseverance, for sportsmanship, for composure, for fairness ...
By the way: Fictional role models also work.
So how would Hannibal Smith from the A-Team handle the situation?
And to complete the circle: What would Columbus do?
Yes, of course - he would look at the compass!
Conclusion: Questions to ask yourself show you the way
One of the best self-care ideas is to ask yourself the right questions more often. It`s actually quite obvious: The right questions make us reflect and get to know ourselves better. And the better we know and understand ourselves, the better and more purposefully we can act and design our lives.
Often our everyday life seems too busy and we run the risk of saving time at the wrong end. Then we put important things aside because they are not urgent. We even forget to look at the compass, although it is crucial for us finding the right direction.
So this is a reminder for you to look at your compass more often and find out if you´re still on the right track.
♡ Bon voyage! ♡