Some of the best conversations, ideas and discoveries begin with a question.

Not a complicated one.

Sometimes just:

Why?

What if?

Why not?

Three questions. Three very different places they can take us.

Why?

“Why?” helps us understand what already exisits.

Why do we do it this way?

Why does it matter?

Why am I assuming this is true?

Children ask why relentlessly.

Adults sometimes stop.

Maybe we shouldn’t.

What if?

“What if?” gives imagination somewhere to go.

What if we tried it differently?

What if the thing we’re worried about doesn’t happen?

What if this works?

It creates room between what exists and what could.

Why Not?

“Why not?” puts the assumption on trial.

Sometimes there is a very good reason not to do something.

Find it.

But sometimes the answer is:

“We’ve never done it that way.”

or

“I don’t know. We just don’t.”

Now there’s something worth exploring.

Curiosity doesn’t require having the answer.

It requires being interested enough to keep looking.

So when the familiar answer arrives too quickly, stay with the question a little longer.

Why?

What if?

Why not?

You might be surprised where three small questions can take you.