what ifSo this week I have been doing a lot of “what if” thinking. I think it’s actually pretty healthy to sit down every once in a while and think about the possibilities, the options, and that “what if’s” of life. There is the classic “what would you do with a million dollars question”. My thoughts were more geared toward, what would you do if your company expanded rapidly? What would you do if your company failed? What would you do if you needed to raise money? I also like to think a bit more abstractly and vaguely as well, “what if you had to move to China?” What if you never used computer again?”

Asking questions such as these help me see the big picture. The abstract ones help me think outside of the box, I mean think about it, what if you really had to move to China tomorrow or could never use a computer again? Think about how different of a person you would become. I have put together a little list of why I think it’s important to ask yourself “what if” or “what would you do with?” questions.

  • It’s always good to dream about what would happen in an ideal scenario. If you work hard enough and be persistent, then hopefully your dreams will become a reality. Think positive and plan for the future.
  • Oftentimes things don’t always go the way you want them too. By asking yourself “what if,” you can start to create a plan B and be prepared just in case things don’t go the way you want them to.
  • Looking at the big picture. Of course it’s easy to get lost in the sea of “what if’s” but sticking the broader questions helps me get past the tiny details and helps me see the grand scheme of things.
  • Curiosity. I oftentimes ask myself these questions because I am curious to see what I can come up. Of course there is a certain serendipitous aspect to asking the “what if” questions as well. “What if I had made a left instead of a right?” What if I had talked to that girl?” “What if hadn’t shown up late?” There is a bit of a philosophical undertone to these questions that I quite enjoy. Ask yourself some of these questions, you’d be surprised to see what your responses can be.

So ask yourself, “what if…?” (what types of “what if” questions do you ask yourself?)

thanks for reading

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