The words of a coaching client have been cycling through my head lately. This woman, who is DETERMINED to get where she wants to go, ends almost every topic we visit with a very big question. “So what’s my lesson here?”
Do you know how powerful that is?
That question, “What’s my lesson here?” is more than a very powerful inquiry. Asking that question creates a shift in mindset.
Asking “What’s my lesson?” opens us up to being CURIOUS—and curiosity is an incredibly rich tool for growing self awareness. When the question is asked with kindness and respect, it interrupts self judgment and self blame that can cause us to get overwhelmed and stuck.
“What’s my lesson?” opens us up to imperfection. The very act of asking assumes that we don’t know everything. That’s a good thing. We can’t ask the question (at least not with kindness) and be stuck in unhelpful perfectionism at the same time.
“What’s my lesson?” opens our mind to thinking with flexibility instead of adopting a rigid approach about how we need to be and how things need to go. The question reflects the idea that there are new ways to look at a situation.
“What’s my lesson?” opens us up with inquisitiveness. When we approach the world from a questioning stance we tend to see the world freshly and from a different perspective than when we aren’t standing back asking this kind of question.
Here’s my challenge to you:
Write the question down. This question is appropriate to ask in just about any situation or set of circumstances. Use what you’ve written as a reminder to ask the question. When you are most frustrated or confused or even discouraged about how things are going, this is when you might need the question the most. Practice asking the question and if you would, post a comment about the lessons you learn.
Take good care,
Melissa
