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Questioning is the most important skill you have for learning about yourself and the world around you. If you learn to use them correctly, you will be able to use the information gained to learn new skills and solves new problems consistently throughout your life.
Last week I introduced two types of questions–reflection and investigation–to help you in your journey to personal growth and continual learning. In their most basic forms, reflection questions look inward, while investigation questions look outward. In last week’s article I discussed how reflection questions drive us to evaluate our motivations and habits in order to better understand how and why we make decisions.
Once you harness the power of reflection questions to learn about your own motivations and habits you will be ready to begin evaluating the world around you with investigation questions.
Investigation questions are outwardly-focused questions intended for information and discovery. They are perfect for problem solving and innovation because they are a journey into the unknown. Think of all the questions you’ve asked Google recently. Those are examples of investigation questions. However, Google-type questions are only surface level investigation inquiries because they are usually closed questions that are easily answered. The key to learning through questioning is to ask difficult questions that drive you to achieve your goals.
Every Solution Begins with a Question
Journalist Warren Berger is obsessed with questions. So much so, he’s written two books full of them. In his first book, A More Beautiful Question: the Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas, he details the discovery process of several groundbreaking innovations. Through his research he discovered a three-question pattern for every innovation he studied. These questions are “Why?”, “What if?” and “How?”
Investigation leads to innovation
One of the most interesting stories Berger highlights is the beginning of Polaroid. Berger tells the story of Polaroid founder Edwin Land taking a picture of his three year daughter. Her childlike curiosity and impatience gave Land his “Why?” question when she asked him, “Why do we have to wait for the picture?” As he explained to her the arduous process of film development, he couldn’t seem to shake his daughter’s question.
This led Edwin Land to the next step in his discovery process–his “What if?” question. After pondering his daughter’s question for some time he asked himself, “What if someone could put a lightroom inside a camera?” This was a revolutionary thought, but where would it lead him? First, he had to change the subject from “someone” to “I”. “What if I could put a lightroom inside a camera?” With that shift in thinking, he took ownership of what would soon become Polaroid.
Finally, he had to take the action step–his “How?” question. For Land, he had to ask “How can I process film inside such a small space?”, “How would I print it and get it into the hands of the photographer quickly?”, and many other questions. He took action on his questions and began testing idea after idea. Finally, after five years of experimentation, failure, reimagination, and success, Polaroid hit the market.
Each of Berger’s three questions is an investigation question. Just like asking “Why?”, “What if” and “How?” led Edwin Land to change photography forever, investigation questions can lead you to new possibilities and innovations. Here is how you can use Warren Berger’s three investigation questions to learn something new today.
Why? Identifying the problem
Think about the last time you asked why something looks, acts, or just is the way it is. In that moment, you were most likely envisioning an alternative world where that one thing is different. You may see your circumstances or abilities as less than you’d like, so you ask yourself “why?” In that moment you are identifying the problem.
The solution to many problems–both large and small– begins with a simple why question. In 1666, Isaac Newton observed an apple falling from a tree and asked, “Why do apples always fall straight down?” This simple why question was the beginning of Newton’s laws of gravity. His question identified a problem that led him down an incredible path to learning and discovery.
Similarly, you can use why question to identify gaps in your own knowledge. Anytime you notice something you do not understand or try something you are unable to do, you should ask yourself why. Why do I remember the lady’s name at the hotel desk from vacation six years ago, but not the name of the person I had a conversation with six minutes ago? Why won’t my phone turn back on? Why can I not lift more weight at the gym? Why do I get distracted so easily? Each of these questions identifies a specific deficiency in either ability or knowledge.
How you respond to problems determines your direction
Once you identify a problem you have three options–ignorance, pity, or action. If you choose the first you will simply ignore or forget about it. This is where we all live most of the time. We don’t have the time or energy to answer every single why question that crosses our minds so nothing ever changes. If this is how you respond to every why question you will never grow. This is the easy response because it requires zero effort or action. It merely maintains the status quo.
If you choose pity you will find yourself thinking about your problem often, but without any way to solve it. It may lead you to see yourself as lacking or insufficient to solve it because you don’t see the solution. While this may be a hard point in the investigation process, it can actually be a catalyst for future growth. The key is to not voluntarily stay here. If you choose pity, you will not only see no progress, you will actually regress in your learning.
Finally, you can and should choose action, and asking “What if?” is a great way to start. At this stage of investigation, you are investigating the many possible answers to your why questions. Each what if question is a potential solution.
What if? Investigate the Possibilities
After asking “Why does an apple fall straight to the ground?” Isaac Newton might follow up by asking “What if I throw an apple straight into the air?” or “What if there is some force pushing it toward the ground?” or possibly even “What if the tree is pushing it away?” What if questions list possible outcomes and potential solutions. Some will be reasonable, others will completely outrageous, but that’s fine. This stage is for exploration not limitation.
If we revisit one of our previous why questions, some what if questions come to mind. “Why can I not lift more weight at the gym?” may lead to the following what if questions: What if my technique is wrong? What if I change my stance? What if I eat a better meal before working out? What if I sleep more? What if I take a break and revisit this work out in a couple days? The list can go on. Each what if question is a possible explanation and solution to the previous why question.
What if questions serve as the important first action toward solving a problem. They are about expanding the scope of possible solutions and exploring every possibility, no matter how strange it may seem. When asking yourself what if questions, try to remain neutral toward them. Judgement should be reserved for the next type of investigation question–”How?”
How? Implement the plan
You should think of Warren Berger’s three question guide to problem solving as a diamond. At the top of the diamond you have your problem–the “Why?” stage. In the middle, as the diamond broadens you have all of your possibilities–the “What if?” stage. And finally, at the bottom point you have your solution–the “How?” stage.
As you start asking yourself “How?” you must start narrowing your possibilities. You should briefly explore and test each of your what if questions to discover which ones are viable. Some things to consider when narrowing your possibilities is time, resources, and ability. After you determine your best option commit to it. You should avoid wavering between different options in order to stay completely focused on reaching your goal.
You will run into problems while answering “How?” which makes it the most difficult stage of investigation. In the previous stages, your ideas are broad and theoretical. However, once you venture into “How?” you must start implementing the ideas you’ve previously developed. This is where you will fail often as you discover what works and what does not in your investigative journey.
A lesson in failure by Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison didn’t invent the lightbulb, but his innovations dramatically improved them. In 1878, when he first began his experimentation with incandescent light bulbs, he asked himself a why questions. “Why do light bulbs burn out so quickly?” as he progressed on his journey he worked to improve the ideas of many of his predecessors and peers.
After his why question he asked himself many what if questions, but eventually landed on one: “What if I find a better material to make the filament?” His biggest challenge, however, was “How?” He brought in many different materials to experiment with but few of them worked to his satisfaction. Finally, after several failed experiments he discovered a carbonized bamboo filament that would last for 1200 hours, and the first commercially viable lightbulb was born. A pithy, yet motivational quote is attributed to Edison. Allegedly, when asked why he continued to experiment with the light bulb after so many failures, he responded, “I did not fail, I’ve simply discovered 1,000 ways to not make a lightbulb.”
Once you begin implementing the solutions to your investigation questions you will face difficulties. After all, you are learning something new, and that often involves wrong turns and mistakes. However, do not get discouraged by this. They key is to learn from the mistakes that you’ve made, turn around, and progress in the right direction again.
Making Questions Work for You
If reflection questions help you identify who you are and what motivates you, investigation questions identify what you need and how to gain it. That could be an item, a skill, or a piece of information. As you continue in your journey to personal growth and continual learning you will find investigation questions to be the catalyst for your progress.
In order to make investigation questions work for you, be conscious of what you experience throughout the day. Ask yourself investigation questions like Why? What if? and How? to identify problems, inefficiencies, and shortcomings that you can address this week. Start small and make progress toward your goals. As you become more comfortable in identifying problems and developing solutions you will find that you are able to tackle more complex issues than you first imagined.