Getting Unstuck: The Power of Questions

WHAT’S NEXT?

I thought “Just another year until I am done university… I should feel excited, but something isn’t right”. I couldn’t help but feel anxious. It felt like I had a tornado of questions in my head, and my stomach felt heavy. This feeling wouldn’t leave and the heaviest question of all was “what’s next?”. Those who know me may be surprised to read this, but I’ve grown to understand that this phase in life is often investable and we all deal with it in different ways. In the end, things do fall into place.

I knew that once my post secondary education was over, there would be no more clear-cut paths, and the rest of my life would be completely up to me. While that very thought motivated me throughout my years at university, it became intimidating as I was getting closer to the end. I like to have my ducks in a row, and for the first time I felt like I didn’t have my shit together. I had to untangle this mess in my head, and found that asking myself the right questions was the best solution to get over this phase of uncertainty.

If you feel stuck, nervous about the future, and don’t know where to begin getting some answers, I hope this helps.

CATALYST

“What’s next?” haunted me for months, and I couldn’t seem to find the answer as I frantically explored every alley in my mind. Of course, the answer to this entire mess was right under my nose. The only way to get meaningful answers (the product), was to ask the right questions (the catalyst). I didn’t need the answer to “what’s next?” because that question was too broad and overwhelming. I needed to break things down into smaller, manageable bits instead.

ONE BITE AT A TIME

“There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time” - Desmond Tutu

It was useful to realize that asking broad questions wouldn’t get me anywhere, so I took my first bite by asking “what part of my life am I trying to figure out?”. Getting closer to wrapping up my degree made me feel like I should know my desired career path. I didn’t have an interest in pursuing further formal education, so the next bite was asking “Which career path am I actually interested in pursuing?”.

I now had some form of direction, but it was still a bit broad. My next question had to be “What industry would I like to be in? Why?”. I was always fascinated by both entrepreneurship and technology. I didn’t have experience in technology, but I spent years leading others in addition to running my own company. I had my first answer: “I would like to be in the tech industry after I graduate. Tech businesses are building the future, and I want a seat at that table”.

It felt good to have movement, but I needed my answer to be actionable so I asked myself “Which local tech companies do I find interesting? What role can I actually apply for with my skills?”. This led me to a phase that had two steps. First, I needed to understand my options. I knew that I wanted to stay in my city, so I needed to learn about what was available locally (Prior to COVID-19, companies were far more reserved about hiring remotely). Furthermore, I needed to learn what roles exist within tech companies to understand where my skills could be transferrable. After doing my research, I had a better sense of what was possible. When I asked myself “What’s next?” again, I could finally put everything together and have a meaningful answer.

THE POWER OF QUESTIONS

It took me a few weeks to arrive at a meaningful answer to a question that had me stuck for months. I have encountered other big questions since “What’s next?”, and while some take longer to conquer, the power of questions has been my best guide. While there is no perfect formula, here is a summary of the steps that help me each time:

  • Start broad

    What is the high level question that is keeping you stuck? Ask yourself what part of [blank] am I trying to figure out?

  • Narrow it down

    Break the big question into smaller, manageable bits by asking what and why.

  • Understand your options (if applicable)
    If your question requires problem solving or making a decision, generate options and get the information you need.

  • Circle back to the big question
    Take everything you’ve learned, and put it together. Ask yourself the big question again. If are still stuck, you need to break it down a little more.

Evgeny Gotfrid