Life comes with mystery, and while dynamic revelations open to the questioning mind, it takes movement and a sense of curiosity to live great questions. The probe that moves a human mind from one place to another. Fortunately, your brain is equipped to both push the bus and ride it at the same time, when good questions fuel your way forward. 
You may be familiar with Rainer Marie Rilke’s, Letters to a Young Poet, where he challenges: “Don’t search for answers now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way to the answer.”
Rilke’s words in no way imply that we keep asking more and more questions that leave us in circular motion, stagnated, or discontent with our situation. Questions imply motion, adventure, delight, and inspiration as we seek insights to live. Do you live questions so that others can see how you eventually find and apply life-changing responses?
Brain based questions lie in spaces somewhere between head and heart, since we now know these two are inseparably melded in any balanced life. Vigorous 2-footed questions invoke responses from many angles of the mind, parts only recently recognized as working well together across logic and emotion.
To question with the brain in mind implies motion you can see and measure. At times you will ride into answers quickly, at other times you will push the bus up many hills. It often depends on your own preparedness to live the answers and delight in growth. How so?
Smart Skill 3 – Question with the Brain in Mind and Move
Let’s say you disagree with a colleague and question that colleague with a motive of one-upshot. You’re not yet ready to live the brain based question that would disagree by listening first and then asking a growing question, such as – “Have you also considered…?
Listeners learn more because of the duel dance between questions and wisdom. It’s a brain thing. Researchers tell us listening occurs when a protein from the gene TRPA1 turns mechanical sound into electrical information for the brain to interpret. Steven Yantis, at John Hopkins University, also shows that unless the brain focuses on what it hears and interprets then far less activity is noted in areas of the brain related to hearing.
Listening and questioning go hand-and-hand in MITA brain based living. While questions spark movement and growth that you can see and measure, they also point to beliefs that prevent movement. Daily we put feet to core beliefs by choices we make.
For example, if you believe another person can make you sad, angry, regretful, frustrated, or bored, ask this question: How are brain chemicals for well being, contentment, expectation and growth, best fueled and extended today by choices that shift your brain from dangerous chemicals to admirable chemicals? The adrenalins more successful people live.
The key is to live the answers you find. No point asking, “What are natural drugs of choice for turbulent times?” – if you plan to remain a victim to turbulence. To live an answer will move you away from victim-hood and into other states of dynamic motion forward.
Yet, what about people who drag cynicism with them through a week at work, without motivation or evidence of healthy change? Sad for some, questions can help to live new choices, only for people who ask with the mind to hear and play out lived responses. It’s not enough to ask: How does cynicism set mental roadblocks up against creativity, talent, and innovation that adds fulfillment? One has to live the answer, laugh about incongruities, and prepare to jump the barriers with new zest.
Living questions is an active force that few risk in ways to escalate zest for change. It’s not a constant chasing of interesting queries without visible answers that lead to change. Instead, to live brain based questions is to celebrate growth and embrace wonder daily. What mystery of life or work awaits your curiosity to move today, and how will your question allow you to live closer to the edges of wonder or within adventures of mystery?
Related posts:
Smart skill 1 = Question to Refuel Finances Past Media Fears
Smart skill 2 = Question to Leap Over Life’s Ruts
Smart skill 3 = Question with the Brain in Mind and Move
Smart skill 4 = Question Research to Create Cutting Edge Tools
Smart skill 5 = Question Myths and Reboot Brainpower
Smart skill 6 = Question Ahead for Grandparent or Family Roles
Smart skill 7 = Question to Know How You are Smart
Smart skill 8 = Question with Two Feet to Spark Curiosity
Smart skill 9 = Question Broken Systems with Solutions in Mind
Smart skill10 = Question Brainpower Through Growth Surveys

on Dec 29th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Wow, Ellen, with your time off over the holidays, you must have stored up a bucket full of good brain chemicals! I can hardly keep up with you – and I’m just reading and thinking.
I love your part about believing that another person make you experience certain negative emotions. The further I go in life, the more I have come to realize that it isn’t “I’ll believe it when I see it.” but rather, “I’ll see it when I believe it.”
on Dec 29th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Oops, forgot to leave my website out! Can’t do that!
Conrad Hakes last blog post..Ah, To Be 18…er, 19 Again!
on Dec 29th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Conrad – you make me laugh! Just look what a few days gives to a busy writer! It’s a topic that builds on others and allows one to play with ideas that work. Love you last line on belief! Now you have me thinking!
on Jan 2nd, 2009 at 5:27 pm
[...] Finances Past Media Fears Smart skill 2 = Question to Leap Over Life’s Ruts Smart skill 3 = Question with the Brain in Mind and Move Smart skill 4 = Question Research to Create Cutting Edge Tools Smart skill 5 = Question Myths and [...]
on Jan 2nd, 2009 at 6:31 pm
[...] Finances Past Media Fears Smart skill 2 = Question to Leap Over Life’s Ruts Smart skill 3 = Question with the Brain in Mind and Move Smart skill 4 = Question Research to Create Cutting Edge Tools Smart skill 5 = Question Myths and [...]
on Jan 3rd, 2009 at 9:36 am
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on Jan 3rd, 2009 at 10:48 am
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on Jan 3rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
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on Jan 3rd, 2009 at 10:51 am
[...] Finances Past Media Fears Smart skill 2 = Question to Leap Over Life’s Ruts Smart skill 3 = Question with the Brain in Mind and Move Smart skill 4 = Question Research to Create Cutting Edge Tools Smart skill 5 = Question Myths and [...]
on Jan 3rd, 2009 at 10:58 am
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on Jan 4th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
[...] Finances Past Media Fears Smart skill 2 = Question to Leap Over Life’s Ruts Smart skill 3 = Question with the Brain in Mind and Move Smart skill 4 = Question Research to Create Cutting Edge Tools Smart skill 5 = Question Myths and [...]