8 Unusual Questions to Help You Refocus Your Life

It’s the middle of winter, but wasn’t it just June?

When parts of your life go on autopilot, it’s easy to look back and wonder what you’ve accomplished. It’s easy to feel like you’ve been on a treadmill, not really going anywhere. What have you achieved in the last 6 months?

If you aren’t sure of the answer, here are 8 questions — some of them from unlikely sources— that can help you refocus your life on what matters.

1. What would this look like if it were easy?

Source: Tim Ferriss

When the going gets tough, the tough look for a way to make the going easier. This is one of Tim Ferriss’ 17 questions, and is important for whenever you feel stressed or overwhelmed.

When you’re faced with an overwhelming task, take a step back before diving in.

Is there an easier, more efficient way to accomplish this? Can you delegate this effectively? Are there other things you can do to make this irrelevant?

This question gets at the heart of “work smart not hard.” You might not always find an easier way, but chances are good that you can get rid of some things that are stressing you out.

2. What did you love when you were 10 years old?

Source: Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project

When you were 10, you probably weren’t overly concerned with what direction your life was going.

You didn’t ask yourself whether reading, or playing tag, or eating dirt, or poking ants with sticks was the best use of your time. You just did things that interested you.

This question from Gretchen Rubin is a reminder to do the things that make you happy. It’s easy to have hours disappear into your internet search history, but is that really what you enjoy the most?

It might be, and that’s totally fine. But you might be neglecting some of the things you really enjoy. To remember what those are, ask yourself what you enjoyed the most as a child.

Chances are you’ll enjoy it as an adult, even if just for the nostalgia.

3. How do you want to change the world?

Source: How I Met Your Mother

I never expected profound advice to come the How I Met Your Mother’s “Naked Man” (also known as Mitch).

In the final season of How I Met Your Mother, Mitch lays out some wisdom: no matter how silly it seems, ask yourself how you want to impact the world. Then, all of your actions can be guided by that goal.

Does it seem trite or cheesy? Maybe. But it’s not wrong, and having a guiding vision can help you focus your time and energy on the things that really matter.

Elon Musk is a real life example of this question in action. From a young age, he dreamed of securing the longevity of the human race, a dream that led to the founding of SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity.

You don’t need to launch rockets into space, but it’s worth asking yourself what you want to accomplish on a grand scale.

4. Are you playing or practicing?

Source: my dad

I started playing the piano at a young age, but like most little kids I had trouble focusing. I wanted to noodle around on the keys, play the stuff I was already good at, and hide from scales and finger exercises.

When I played, my dad would ask me this question: are you playing or practicing?

There’s a difference between doing something for the fun of it and doing something to improve.

It’s totally fine to do something just for fun, and it’s important that there are times where you are explicitly practicing. But it’s critical you don’t confuse the two.

Look at your everyday life. Are there times where you are “practicing,” but really running on autopilot and playing around? Are there times where you are “playing,” but really have lingering and stressful thoughts of your work?

Know whether you’re playing or practicing.

5. Who are you and what do you want?

Source: Uncle Iroh, Avatar the Last Airbender

It seems odd to draw profound wisdom from a children’s show, but Uncle Iroh is universally loved for being a triple threat: wise, calm, and badass.

In addition to gems like “life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not,” Iroh pushes his nephew to consider the bigger picture.

What are you working towards, and why are you working towards it? In the show, Iroh pushed his nephew to consider whether his goals are truly his, or if he’s simply internalized them because of a sense of duty and the society he grew up in.

So ask yourself, who are you really, and what do you really want?

6. Who has helped you get to where you are?

Source: Mister Rogers

There are not many people that can bring a room to tears in 10 seconds. Fred Rogers accomplished just that in the acceptance speech for his lifetime achievement award in 1997.

Even if it’s just for 10 seconds, remember the people who have helped you become the person you are today.

A lot of these questions are focused on the future, but this one is focused on the past. A little gratitude and appreciation can go a long way towards improving your well-being.

7. What would this look like if it were the best?

Source: Me

It’s tempting, really tempting, to let little mistakes or tweaks slide. Especially when you’re low on energy or not that enthused by the work you’re doing, it easy to cut corners.

I’m sure I’m not the first person to come up with this question, but whenever I create anything I ask: what would this look like if it were the best?

In my writing, that means digging up the extra statistic, quote, or link. In my work, that can mean adding more detail to a strategy report. Once you make the decision to make these little tweaks, it’s surprising how easy they are to incorporate.

You’ll find that the little changes, and sometimes big ones, will give you more benefit than the work they take. People notice the best work more than the acceptable work, so make that work yours.

8. Why do I think this?

Source: Naval Ravikant

We think our thoughts are our own, but of course they can be influenced by any number of things in our surroundings and personal history.

When you have a thought or idea, examine it. Why did you think of it? Why did you think of it now? You may find that you picked up on some suggestion in your environment, or that a random phrase you heard yesterday sprang to mind.

This is an especially important question when you’re feeling stuck. Are you hungry, tired, or thirsty? Have you had your morning coffee? If you’re already in a state that upsets you, it can affect your response to other events.

As BJ Miller once said, “don’t believe everything you think.” Ask yourself these questions and carefully examine your answers.

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