Questions and quest – what is the link between the two? Asking the right questions will reveal your quest – in leadership and in life.
Your quest is your journey, your adventure, your purpose. Your quest is guided by your values, and it affects the goals you set and the choices you make. It is your personal answer to “Why am I here?” or “What is my passion in life?”
Maybe you always knew what you wanted to be when you grew up. You plotted your quest without having to ask those questions. But, then questions came anyway: “How do I get there?” or “What choices do I make?”
The words quest and question came from the same Latin root word quaerere, which means ‘to seek’ or ‘to ask.’ Life, like leadership, is an expedition into uncertainty – the individual pursuit you make. Your quest – your life and your leadership style – is the answer to those important questions. It can be overwhelming when you think about it. So we get busy with the little stuff. We let the automatic pilot and the backseat drivers take over for us. We let processes choose us, instead of the other way around.
Stop for five minutes, and ask yourself the important questions – your quest is revealed in the way you answer the questions. Keep asking, keep seeking and keep learning. It’s your quest. Ask yourself:
- What are the most rewarding areas of my work, my life?
- How or where do I make a difference?
- What can I do today to encourage others, and myself?
- How can I prepare myself and those around me for tomorrow’s opportunities?
- Can I make a small change that makes a bigger difference?
Your quest is important, and you are the only one who can fulfill it.