Episode Transcript
[00:00:12] Hello and welcome to Imagine the Possibilities. I'm Skip Poague.
[00:00:17] First thing I want to do is thank you for listening to this podcast.
[00:00:21] This episode is about two little questions. Why and why not?
[00:00:28] I want to talk about how they shape our choices, how they can change our direction, how they can remove fear or show us possibilities.
[00:00:40] And sometimes they do that and we don't even realize it.
[00:00:44] I'll tell you something about me. I tend to ask why not first?
[00:00:48] I just always have. I don't know. It's just the way I'm wired now. If I can't come up with a good reason not to do something, I usually take the leap. I try it.
[00:01:01] I don't know if that's right or wrong.
[00:01:04] I'm not even sure that there is a right or wrong when it comes to why. And why not?
[00:01:10] That's just the way I do things. It's just the way I roll.
[00:01:14] I found asking that question first often helps me move forward instead of getting stuck overthinking things.
[00:01:22] Now, if you ask my wife or several of my friends, they would tell you overthinking things should be my middle name.
[00:01:30] Because sometimes I get so caught up, I don't move forward. I don't go anywhere. I just sit and you know, if you consider research on the Internet research, I just sit and do that. And I read what's good, what's bad, what's good, what's bad, what's good, what's bad. And I do that. What? What seems like forever when I'm doing that, I'm not making progress either way.
[00:01:52] I'm not doing anything to move myself forward. I'm just sitting in that one place.
[00:01:57] So anyway, let's dig into those questions. Because the way we ask ourselves things, it can truly change everything in our lives.
[00:02:06] Let's start with why. It seems that when we ask ourselves why, we're often looking backward. It can feel like we're pressing against a closed door, trying to explain or justify things that may have already happened. In some cases, why can even stop us from moving forward.
[00:02:28] The reason is it traps us in reasoning, in making excuses, or in second guessing ourselves.
[00:02:36] That's where the closed door feeling comes from.
[00:02:40] Why can also invite fear, doubt, delay.
[00:02:44] We start asking ourselves things like why me?
[00:02:49] Why now?
[00:02:51] Why would this even work?
[00:02:53] Why should I do this?
[00:02:56] And before we know it, we've talked ourselves out of doing something that in all likelihood would have helped us grow, to get better, or to learn new things.
[00:03:06] And we did all that without even trying. I mean, if you think about it, in the podcast I did on failing or failure, every one of these things are learning experiences. So even if we go through the why and the only reason not to do it is trivial, then we should go ahead and try it. Because even if we fail, we're going to learn things, and that's important.
[00:03:38] Don't get me wrong. Why isn't a bad question.
[00:03:43] Why can be incredibly powerful when we use it for the right reason.
[00:03:48] It's a question of purpose, of meaning, and of alignment. So it is an important question to ask ourselves.
[00:03:58] Asking why do I want to do this?
[00:04:01] Can clarify our motivation.
[00:04:04] Asking why am I doing this? Can help us avoid chasing someone else's dream.
[00:04:11] I remember a time in my life when I was working hard toward a goal I was really applying myself and I was making great progress. But here's the thing. To be honest, I couldn't even tell you why I was doing it.
[00:04:26] I was kind of on autopilot. I had started it, I was making progress, but I couldn't answer that question, why are you doing it?
[00:04:36] When I finally did ask myself why, and I mean really ask myself why, it changed everything.
[00:04:44] I let go of something that didn't even serve me. It had no use to where I was in my career or my life.
[00:04:52] And by doing that, I made room for something better.
[00:04:56] So I guess we have to say, yes, why matters. But sometimes we hide behind it.
[00:05:03] We use it to stall.
[00:05:06] And that's where why not? Because why not can be that nudge we really need now. Why not has a whole different energy.
[00:05:16] It challenges the fear.
[00:05:19] It opens the door.
[00:05:21] It says, unless there's a real reason not to try this, maybe I should.
[00:05:28] When we ask why not, we're leaning forward. It's an open ended invitation that assumes possibilities exist and dares us to try them.
[00:05:40] Why not naturally opens doors. It removes barriers. It. It challenges our limiting beliefs and it gives us permission to try.
[00:05:51] That's that open door feeling I'm talking about.
[00:05:56] Some of the most meaningful things that I've ever done started with the question, why not?
[00:06:01] Why not try something new?
[00:06:03] Why not speak up in that meeting?
[00:06:06] Why not see where the road leads us?
[00:06:09] To be honest, there were a few times when that question led me into uncertainty.
[00:06:16] But even that led me into growth.
[00:06:19] And other times it led me into passion and into moments that changed my life.
[00:06:26] Fear has a way of dressing up. Like logic.
[00:06:30] We say, well, maybe I shouldn't, or that might not work.
[00:06:38] But sometimes the only reason we don't try is because we're afraid.
[00:06:43] We don't want to get out of our comfort zone. We don't even want to move.
[00:06:49] So why not becomes a kind of faith. It's a quiet voice that says, go ahead, see what's possible.
[00:06:58] I want you to think about this for a minute or so.
[00:07:02] Which question do you tend to ask first?
[00:07:06] And how do you think that question that you ask first shapes your decisions?
[00:07:13] Just think about it.
[00:07:15] The truth is that we need both questions.
[00:07:19] Why helps us root our choices in our values.
[00:07:24] Why not helps us move forward without getting stuck Ever since I decided to do this podcast, I've thought about the relationship between why and why not and I want to give you a few examples that I came up with.
[00:07:41] Closed vs Open why appears to close the door with a lock.
[00:07:47] When we ask why, we're often staring at a barrier. We're analyzing it, and sometimes we're getting stuck outside.
[00:07:56] Why not is an open door with light streaming through it. Asking why not shifts our focus from the barrier to the possibilities on the other side.
[00:08:07] We can kind of think of them as a traffic light.
[00:08:10] Why is the red light? It makes us stop, look back, and sometimes justify what we're doing.
[00:08:19] Why notch the green light?
[00:08:21] It says, go ahead, take the step, move forward.
[00:08:25] Let's look at it from a child's curiosity. I remember times when we had gone shopping and sometimes we'd already bought the kids something or had something in the buggy for them and they wanted something else, and we told them, no, can't have that today. The first question they asked was, why?
[00:08:48] Why can't I have that today?
[00:08:50] And it's a tool for understanding, but it doesn't always lead to action as adults. In a lot of cases, I don't know if rediscovered is the right word, but I'll use it. We rediscovered why not.
[00:09:06] Why not let us tap into the possibilities.
[00:09:10] Why not is how inventions were made, how business was started, and how our lives changed.
[00:09:19] How about looking at it from the standpoint of a bridge versus a wall?
[00:09:23] Why can become a wall something we bump into or we bump up against, and we do that while we're trying to figure out what's behind it.
[00:09:33] Why not is a bridge. It carries us across to new ideas, new opportunities, and new possibilities.
[00:09:42] As for me, I've learned that asking why not first works well, but only if I circle back to why.
[00:09:52] Like I said earlier, until I asked myself why, I didn't realize that I was working on something that didn't matter to me. It wasn't going to do anything. I wasn't learning anything from it. It wasn't a career move. I wasn't following a road or anything else. I was just moving along to nowhere.
[00:10:13] Before I wrap this up, I'm going to leave you with a challenge.
[00:10:18] Take one thing you've been thinking about doing and ask yourself both questions. Why?
[00:10:26] And why not?
[00:10:29] See what your answers tell you.
[00:10:31] They might surprise you, they might inspire you, and they might even unlock something that's been holding you back for a long time.
[00:10:42] And remember, whenever we ask ourselves something, we have to ask it with honesty and answer it with courage.
[00:10:51] Another thing is that many times the questions we ask ourselves become the loudest voice in our lives.
[00:10:59] So pay attention to it.
[00:11:02] Here's the thing.
[00:11:04] Maybe the real question isn't just why, but why not?
[00:11:08] Why not take that step? Why not reach for your dream? Why not choose forgiveness, courage, or hope?
[00:11:15] Why not get out of our comfort zone?
[00:11:18] And the thing is, when we ask why not? The answer is right in front of us. It's in the title of this very podcast, Imagine the Possibilities.
[00:11:29] Because when we dare to imagine what could be, the door swings wide open.
[00:11:35] And that's where new beginnings, fresh hope, and meaningful change are waiting on us. In closing, I'd like to say I wish you much success.
[00:11:47] Remember, your future belongs to you. And why not make it everything it can be?
[00:11:53] Stay humble, be kind, love unconditionally, and laugh often.
[00:11:59] I hope that you have a super day, and I pray that God blesses you in a super way.
[00:12:05] More power to you.
[00:12:08] Thanks again and God bless.
[00:12:19] Sa.
