Slingshot Weekly (9/24/25) | The New Skill of Asking Questions

We often assume that the smartest people are the ones with the best answers.

But what if the real skill - the life-changing, door-opening, courage-building skill - isn’t about having answers at all? What if it’s about asking better questions? Not the surface-level kind. Not the ones that keep you comfortable or safe. The best questions are the ones that stretch you, disrupt you, and wake something up inside you.

Learning to ask big, meaningful questions is like building a muscle. At first, it feels awkward and unfamiliar. It takes curiosity, intention, and sometimes even courage. But once you begin strengthening this muscle, you discover that the reward isn’t just information—it’s connection, growth, and direction.

Here’s the challenge: most people avoid asking deeper questions because they’re afraid of the answers. Afraid of what might change. Afraid of what they’ll need to confront, admit, or commit to. So instead, they stay safe inside the familiar. But avoiding the question doesn’t erase the need. It only delays clarity.

Think about the difference in the kinds of questions we usually ask ourselves:

• Instead of “What do I want to do?” try asking: “What kind of impact do I want to have?”

• Instead of “What should I major in?” try: “What problem am I most curious to solve?”

• Instead of “What’s the right next step?” try: “What am I avoiding—and why?”

Notice how these questions shift the focus. They aren’t about landing the perfect answer; they’re about uncovering deeper truths. They cut through the noise of “what’s expected” and point toward what’s meaningful.

The goal isn’t certainty - it’s discovery. By asking differently, you invite new possibilities, new perspectives, and new energy into your life. The right questions don’t hand you an easy map, but they do illuminate the next step with courage and clarity.

Think about history’s greatest thinkers, leaders, and creators. They didn’t change the world because they always had the right answers. They were willing to ask different questions: What if things could be different? What if we tried another way? What if the impossible was possible?

Your own life works the same way. The questions you choose shape your direction. They influence not just what you do, but who you become.

So here’s the shift: Stop looking for the perfect answer. Start living into better questions.

Because questions aren’t just tools for thinking. They’re tools for becoming.

Reflection Questions:

1. Which of the sample re-frames - impact, curiosity, or avoidance - resonates most with your life right now?

2. What would change if you replaced seeking certainty with seeking discovery?

3. Who is someone you can ask a powerful question to; regardless of what the answer could be?