When you notice that you are unsure about a decision, or about next steps, an exercise I recommend is called a Question Burst. It was designed by Hal Gregersen.
I’ll describe it, and then I’ll share an example of how it has helped me.
Doing a Question Burst on your own
To begin, get something to write on and to write with.
Then consider something that you are resisting or are anxious about. Maybe it’s that person you want to meet, that opinion you want to post, or that event that’s coming up.
Start a timer for 1 or 2 minutes.
In that time, write down any and all questions that pop into your head.
ONLY QUESTIONS.
Do not answer any of them. Do not censor yourself. Do not worry about grammar. Just write the questions as they come to you, as you think about your topic.
Stop writing when the timer goes off.
Reflecting on what you wrote
As you then review your list, notice how you feel compared to when you started.
Hal suggests that about 85% of the time, you will feel in a better head space. But even in the cases when you come out of it with a sense that the issue is bigger than you thought it was, or that you are a bigger part of the problem than you initially thought, that’s okay too. It is all helpful toward reframing the challenge.
Notice which of your questions make you uncomfortable, or really surprised. Notice if you discovered at least one new idea.
As you consider what your next step might be, pick one question on your list that encourages you to action.
I did this during a key time in my career
So I did this exercise during a key time in my career. I was just starting my coaching certification program and my solo business. I was feeling pretty unsure about the whole thing and I had some worries. So I set a timer for 60 seconds and wrote:
- What am I worried about?
- What am I waiting for?
- What do I charge?
- What do I call myself?
- What if I get over my skis with the coaching method I’m learning?
- Can I deviate from the method?
- Shall I join ICF now or later?
- Who can help me?
- Is the logo important? Can I change it later?
- Can I edit LinkedIn before having the website?
I found that after writing these random questions down, I actually felt empowered. They weren’t cycling in my head anymore. They were where I could see them and start to deal with them.
Buried in the list, is one that jumped off the page – “Who can help me?”
Isolating that question, and giving it some direct attention, let me think of a few new people who could help me. That gave me energy to keep moving along this path which I am very grateful for.
Give it a try
I hope the Question Burst exercise can help you jump start out of spinning your wheels too. It only takes 60 seconds but it can have a long lasting effect.
