Just ask

Picture courtesy of Andrew Kidd

This morning I was asked "why" questions, one after the other. A barrage of questions about why things are the way they are. This wasn't in a team meeting or a management discussion. It was over the breakfast table with an insistent four year old.

That's the thing about four year olds, they just ask you straight up. They're not worried about what you think of them, they just want to know. It's a natural curiosity.

Some of the greatest minds in human history kept asking questions long after the age of four. Some of the best never stopped.

I recently resumed learning to play guitar after a 25 year gap. This time around I have a massive advantage because I can find the answer to almost any question straight away. How do I play a specific song? Look it up on YouTube and there are plenty of people ready with a show and tell.

There's a revolution in online learning happening right now thanks to the internet. That's the difference that the last 25 years have given us. Universities such as Stanford are putting entire courses online. Wikipedia is available almost anywhere, anytime to anyone. Put it this way, if you have a question, it's never been easier to find an answer.

The ability to ask the right questions is an underrated skill. If I were interviewing someone for a job, I am much more interested in the questions they ask than the answers they give. The ability and willingness to ask useful and insightful questions is the mark of someone that applies themselves to a problem and who will overcome obstacles.

It's never been more important than now to keep asking questions. As an adult it's a habit and skill we need to nurture. The good news is that it's never been easier to get answers.

This gives me great optimism for humanity and the world that today's 4 year olds will inherit.

It also is a humbling reminder that today like every day I need to  keep asking questions.