9 tough Questions That can Change Your Life forever

When things are not going quite the way you would like them to, it’s often the result of not asking yourself the right questions. Some questions are hard to confront because you are afraid you would not get the answer you want, others because you really don’t want to know the answer but turning away from life’s toughest questions is a sure path to mediocrity.

See some of the tough questions we should be asking ourselves regularly.

1. How do people see me differently than I see myself?

We interpret our behaviour in terms of how we think we come across, whereas everyone else sees the real thing. A real assessment is a great way to gain this perspective. It gathers feedback that is constructive, anonymous, and accurate. However, if you flip out or get defensive every time somebody speaks their mind, they are going to stop doing it.

2. What/whom did I make better today?

Ending each day by asking yourself what or whom you made better is a great way to keep yourself grounded and focused on what really matters.

3. Am I being true to my values?

Do you ever get that nagging feeling that something is a little off in your life? This often happens when little behaviors creep up on you that violate your values. If you want that nagging little voice to go away, you are going to have to do something about it.

4. If I achieved all of my goals, how would I feel?

The ability to delay gratification in pursuit of your goals is one of the most fundamental prerequisites for success, but delaying gratification doesn’t have to mean being miserable until you cross that finish line. You can achieve more and have more fun doing it if you let yourself feel some of that pride and pleasure along the way.

5. In what areas of my life am I settling?

When you settle, you accept less than you are capable of. Sometimes we settle in dead-end jobs. Other times we settle for unhealthy relationships. If you don’t ask yourself where and why you are settling, it’s hard to stop it.

6. What do I want my life to be like in five years?

A wise person once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” Five years is not so far in the future that you cannot imagine yourself there, but it’s not so close that you cannot do anything about it.

7. Who has qualities that I aspire to develop?

When people have qualities that you admire, it’s a great exercise to reflect on these qualities and think about ways that you can incorporate them into your repertoire.

8. What’s stopping me from doing the things that I should be doing?

Most times we come up with excuses not to do the things we ought to do. Most of the time, we know exactly what we should be doing; we just are not willing to move the obstacles out of the way.

9. What’s the most important lesson I have learned so far in life? Am I living that lesson?

Sometimes life lulls us back into complacency and we are forced to learn a powerful lesson twice. The trouble with this is that it’s just as much of a rude awakening the second time around.