Auto-pilot

Many times we are on auto-pilot. Automatically responding to what happens in our lives, to what triggers our social and personal auto-mechanisms.

We’re believing most of what we hear.

Trusting well known “truths” just because our someone from our life believed in them and told us in some point in time (most of them during childhood) that “This thing should be this way!”

The question(s)

Just remember that many of the important achievements, steps forward, innovations and creations came because someone, sometime put this question:

IS IT?

Is it really true?

Is it really true FOR ME?

Is someone else responsable for my own choices?

And multiple other alternatives:

Could it be the other way?

What happens if I don’t bealive this?

What happens if I will do the opposite?

Are the stories we tell ourselves real?

Using this question to motivate you

We’re hearing from childhood this:

“Do not talk with strangers! It is bad! It is dangerous! It is forbidden!”

Did you ever put these questions:

“Is it really bad? Is it really dangerous? Is it really forbidden? for me in this point in my life?“

Or I hear many times around me:

“Don’t do that. It will never work!”

Whenever I hear this, I’m starting to ask myself:

“IS IT? Is it true that will NEVER work? Could it be that will work this time?“

And then this question just starts to motivate me to try!
It is a very good motivator just to ask the question and explore the possibilities.

This question could also be used just to bust the creativity.

Whenever you’re stuck and find no solution to a problem, you can always start putting this questions to some of the way you see the problem or to question the problem itself.

photo credit: 姒儿喵喵

A while ago, a good friend of mine, let’s call it A left the country to work outside for a long period of time. A common friend B came with the idea to give him a present to remember Romania as long as he’s gone. And because I’ve focused on other things, this got lost from site and the same happened for B and a couple of hours before A should be on the plane, I was talking with B on the phone. We were stuck to find a gift in the remaining time and we were both struggling to make this happens somehow. Then while talking I’ve put myself this question: Is it really necessary to give A the gift before leaving the country? So I’ve started to question a part of our initial intention. This way, I and B came with the beautiful ideea to create a gift for A and ship it to his new address. This way we’ve solved the problem in the most valuable way, just because one of us, had the thought to question one of the parts of the problems: the time when the present should be given. I’m sure A will enjoy it very much!

And this is just one example from how this question could just add new options to a situation.

15 situation where you can apply the question

So, remember to put this question whenever:

1. you’re stuck to find a solution.

See my example before.

2. someone is telling you that you “must” do something

Ask: Is it really necessary to do this?

3. you’re telling to yourself that you cannot be somehow

Ask: Is it true that I cannot be this way?

4. you’re telling to yourself that you cannot have something

Ask: Is it real that I cannot have this?

5. you’re telling to yourself that you cannot do some action

Ask: Is it really true that I cannot do this?

6.  you’re telling to someone else (or to yourself) what he/she can or cannot do

Ask: Is it really true that he/she cannot do this?

7.  you’re hearing the words: “It is better to …”

Ask: Is it really better for me?

8.  you’re hearing the words: “It is good for you to …”

Ask: Is it really good for me?

9.  you’re hearing the words: “You should do/act …”

Ask: Is is really the way I should act?

10.  you’re hearing the words: “I know that the results will be …”

Ask: Is it possible for you to know that?

11.  someone is telling you how you should feel like “You should feel  …”

Ask: Is it a good thing for me to feel that way?

12. someone is telling you how to act – without being asked, like “In your situation I will do …”

Ask: Is it that you will do the same in my situation? Is it good for me to do this?

13. someone is telling you how to think – “You should think this way …”

Ask: Is it me that thinks this or him/her?

14. you’re telling yourself that you don’t feel something, like “I don’t feel …”

Ask: Is it really true that I don’t feel this way?

15. you’re telling yourself that you feel in some way, like “I’m …” or “I feel …”

Ask: Is it really true that I feel this way?

Be open to question the well-known and obvious truth!

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