HOW OTHERWISE QUESTIONS CAN PRODUCE SUPERSIZE SUCCESSES (from ‛i-mail' files)

by Doug C. Grant

There are two types of questions. Stupid and otherwise.

I specialize in stupid. I am trying for otherwise.

I asked myself yesterday, "How come I'm not financially independent?"

The reply was instant. "Because you ask stupid questions."

This dialog is part of my i-mail system. That's like e-mail except it's internal. Some people call it 'talking to yourself'. But self-talkers are generally considered an inch or so below standard so I refer to my discussions as ‛i-mail'.

Continuing correspondence with Other-Self, I responded, "And what's so stupid about asking why I'm not financially independent?"

"Because asking a question like, "Why don't I have something?" puts honey-whizz on lack. And when you put honey-whizz on lack, only thing you're going to get back is more lack."

I thought about that for awhile before sending my reply. "So, are you saying that if I don't think about lack I'll have whatever it is I lack?"

"You're getting warm. But you still have to ask right question. Such as, ‛What can I do to attract more wealth into my life?'"

By this time I can tell you I was getting pretty excited. "You mean all I have to do is ask a question about attracting more wealth and riches will come?"

by Doug C. Grant

"So why haven't you done it?"

The question arrived by i-mail shortly after I had settled down to read paper. Unlike e-mail, which I can read whenever I feel like it, i-mail demands instant attention. It comes from my Other-Self and is all internal. It can, of course, be ignored. But this simply intensifies nagging.

I put down paper and irritably responded, "Done what?"

"That article you've been thinking about writing."

"Oh, that. Well, truth is, I didn't think I could do a good job of it. The article probably wouldn't be accepted and I would have wasted a lot of time."

"So you decided on instant failure. Is that it?"

Other-Self had tweaked a nerve. "I did not decide on any such thing. It's just practical wisdom. Like somebody said, ‛Anything worth doing is worth doing well.' I didn't think I could do it well so I didn't consider it worth doing. That to me is sensible logic."

"That's not logic. It's borderline stupidity."

"And I suspect, without any urging from me, you're about to guide me down what you consider a far superior road of reason."

"You're quite perceptive today. Consider this. ‛Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly...in beginning.'"

"Oh, come now! Talk about your stupid logic. Why would anyone start out to purposely do something poorly?"

"Excuse me. Did I say ‛purposely'? I don't think I heard that word."