THE
QUEST FOR THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
Not everyone discovers the secret
for asking the right questions. I read a hilarious story about three very
competitive brothers who left home to make their fortunes, and each of them did
very well. One day when they were all together, they started to brag about the
gifts they had recently given to their elder mother.
The
first said, “I built Mom a big house.”
The
second said, “Well, I got her the best Mercedes they make, along with her own driver.”
“I’ve
got you both beaten,” said the third. “You know how Mum enjoys the Bible, and
you know she can’t see very well. I sent her a brown parrot that can recite the
entire Bible. It took twenty monks in a monastery twelve years to teach him. I
had to contribute $ 100,000 to the order every year for ten years for them to
train him, but it was worth it. Mum just has to name the chapter and verse and
the parrot will recite it.”
Soon thereafter, each of the sons
received a note from their mother. To the first son she wrote, “Milton, the
house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the
house.”
To the second son she wrote,
“Marty, I am too old to go anywhere. I stay home all the time, so I never use
the Mercedes. Besides, the driver is so rude!”
To the third son, her message was
softer: “Dearest Melvin, you are the only son to have the good sense to know
what your mother likes. The chicken was delicious.”
Some people have to learn the
important of asking questions the hard way!
Asking question often separates
successful people from those who are unsuccessful. Why? Because you can get the
answers to the questions you ask. No questions ---- No answers. As financier
and presidential advisor Bernard Baruch said, “Millions saw the apple fall, but
Newton was the one who asked why.”
Author Brian Tracy commented, “A
major stimulant to creative thinking is focused questions. There is something
about a well-worded question that often penetrates to the heart of the matter
and triggers new ideas and insights.” In general the more thoughtful and
precise the question, the better the answer. As speaker Anthony Robbins says,
“Quality questions creates a quality life. Successful people ask better
question and as a result, they get better answers.”
