A.I.M.: The Powerful 10-Step Personal and Career Success Program

Chapter 8. Asking the Hard Questions

It is better to Know some of the questions than all of the answers.

—James Thurber

Just as human beings are often oblivious to their own strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities they may be ignoring, they are also often unable to ask themselves the hard questions at the important times in their lives. Everyone, for example, has friends who have suffered through failed relationships or made bad career choices. On reflection, they often say, "Well, its partially my fault. I knew this issue might be a problem early on. I was just too caught up in everything else to want to deal with it then." Others may have had doubts or been cautioned about a particular career choice, a move to another city, or the start of a new sport or pastime. But in such cases, they—like most of us—probably brushed aside these nagging doubts in a rush to do something, in the rush to act and move and explore.

Instead, at times when people are considering major changes in their lives, the most important thing they can do is ask rational and measured questions about the actual viability and practicality of the choices they are considering.

Earlier in the A.I.M. process, for example, you may have identified that your spouse and family are very important to you. As the main breadwinner, you are cognizant of your responsibility to meet their needs. It may also be the case that one of your favored options may require that you return to school, take several years out of the workforce, ...