Ask questions
I was listening to Elon Musk talk about The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, how it really throws this philosophical idea that it’s not so much the answers but the questions that matter.
Knowing how to ask the right question can leads you to the right answer. Sounds logical, doesn’t it? I believe it’s a skill we can all develop.
Many years ago, I told a friend that I like to ask people questions. I don’t remember what I told her exactly. I was only sharing my experience. I said something along the lines of how asking questions is how you get to know people. That you find out a lot about them that you would never have found out, had you not asked them.
Later that summer, she thanked me for telling her about this practice of mine. She said she learned many things from me. I was surprised, since I didn’t think I had shared anything special. But I hope she’s out there asking interesting questions and hearing all kinds of fun answers.
I love watching interviews for this reason. I’m actually more interested in the questions than the answers.
Oprah was a staple growing up, of course. I also studied Katie Couric and how she’d converse with her interviewees. I’ve been on the set of Ellen and Graham Norton. But I think one of my favorite late night show hosts is Craig Ferguson.
It’s clear that asking questions is an art. But you don’t need to have a television show to practice this skill. Even starting with family, you can hear a lot of eye-opening tales.
A simple question, borne out of curiosity, can elicit the most ravishing tale from a grandparent. And it’s all there, ready to be dispersed for free.
But first, we need to ask the right question. The right question is like a key to a treasure chest. It’s how humanity has evolved to travel to outer space, how we found out how the Earth was formed, and what dinosaurs looked like.
So, what’s your question?