Ask Yourself Great Questions by Dave LaRue

One of my favorite success habits that I use for myself and try to help others discover is the habit of asking yourself great questions. My youngest daughter, Michelle, shared with me the story below. Please take a minute to read it.

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired, "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

She continued, "The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while, and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer, and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed—incapable of doing anything."

Remember to put the glass down.

How many times have you held on to a thought and continued to ask yourself questions that kept your mind in that space? Your mind is amazing and will work for you any way you choose. So if you choose to hold on to thoughts that stress you, your mind will keep you feeling stressed. If you're asking yourself questions like, Why does this always happen to me? Or if you’re having thoughts like, People are just mean, or Why am I so stupid? your mind will go right to work to find answers for you and help you hold on to the "glass" that will keep you in that stressful place. Work on recognizing this emotion so you don't allow yourself to waste energy holding on to that heavy glass.

Dave