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Reflect

The right question is more valuable than the best solution.

If you are asking the wrong questions, being more productive just means you are heading off-course faster. Breakthrough ideas and good decisions come from asking the right chain of questions.

  1. Mental Models
  2. Situational Wisdom
  3. Problems
  4. Problem Statement
  5. AI Tools
  6. Decision Making
  7. Leadership

Most Important Question​

Your unconscious mind will turn over and soak up the last inputs it was given. Schedule time at the end of your working day to practice a ritual of evolving a question that provides deeper insight into the problem you are striving to resolve.

Daily closing routine.

  1. Ask the Question then no more work inputs.
  2. Relax then sleep. Do something to forget about the problem.

Daily startup routine.

  1. Wake and journal to access your subconscious mind
  2. Refine the problem statement question
  3. Analyse evolution from the first question to the most recent.

Beginners Mind​

Ask dumb questions. Let go of preconceived notions to interpret reality with fresh eyes or attempt to understand things from an alternative perspective.

Start with a picture of nirvana and ask why not?

tip

Your ego is the Enemy! Ask stupid questions

Evolve the MIQ​

Track evolution of questions to trace how understanding grows. With fresh eyes you might identify an important connection you previously missed.

The greatest value is found in analysing the evolution of thought from the initial MIQ until the last MIQ iteration that reflect growth in understanding.

Step back to review the big picture, move snapshots around into a timeline that sells the story.

  • Look for patterns
  • Avoid the temptation to search for a quick fix

Subconscious Preparation​

Big ideas come from the unconscious, so you need to routinely stuff your unconscious with a diverse array of ideas and concepts without stressing about understanding everything.

Unhook your rational thought process and let the unconscious intelligence will find a way to fill the gaps and connect the dots.

tip

Step outside your mind by going for a walk, taking a shower etc

Have a pad ready to loosely catch thoughts without trying to put any sense to them. You can do that at a time scheduled for deep work.