When I worked in corporate life, I had the opportunity to interview new hires on many occasions. It was always astounding to me that I managed to learn something interesting from almost everyone. Often my role was to screen them in or out for the perspective job, but the exercise of sitting across from another person to interview them often lead to some tremendous revelations about myself. In hindsight, I know that this happened because I was asking questions that were more than just the typical interview questions. I was looking for a perspective on how they thought and approached their life.
It’s no surprise that when we learn to ask questions and learn about other people’s lives it has an added benefit. Interviewing others effectively helps us to develop the skills and approach to learn about ourselves. It’s not a direct result, but if you intentionally practice the interview skills on yourself and ask yourself the same kinds of questions, you may be surprised with the answers that are revealed. Even the most elementary interview questions will have powerful implications when you ask them of yourself.
How do you respond to self-discovery and the challenges that comes with personal growth and reflection?
Sometimes I felt like I was playing “twenty questions” all the time when my kids were younger. Lots of times, I was just too tired to play as I’m sure many parents are. We never stop benefiting from asking questions, but some of us stopped asking when we grew up. We stopped getting to know people and, in a sense, interviewing them. I would encourage you to pick that skill up again and treat each new person you meet as a riddle to understand. I’ve found the study of people to be one of the most interesting parts of life, and I’m constantly reminded of how similar, and at the same time unique we all are.
This blog is part of a series from the book Discover Your Best Life by Mike Hintz. His personal, professional, and spiritual growth tools are also featured in Northlink Retreats. If this topic resonates with you consider reading the book or attending one of the upcoming retreats.