“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”
―Anaïs Nin
The 23rd day of the challenge! How is it going? You have only 6 days (including today!) to set this writing habit in stone. Let's see how it goes...
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Today's Prompt:
Explain something that you wish other people understood.
Regina's 15 minutes:
P1: Oh. I didn’t see you there. Welcome. Today we are going to talk about the power of questions.
P2: The Tower of onions?
P1: Mother fucker. Why are you here? What do you even DO on this show.
P2: I’m the comic relief. The shit you talk about is DRY. I give it some juice. Some vibe. Some flavour. Some pizzaz (throws glitter or similar.)
P1: I hate you.
P2: (does gun fingers) pew pew Right back at you egghead
P1: Sigh. So, the POWER or QUESTIONS – is a principle from Adaptive Action. Adaptive action is a methodology which takes a novel approach to problem solving. Adaptive action hypothesizes –
P2: Hippo Thighs! (hippo image invades PPT. greenscreen P2 into the shot laughing)
P1: (rage- Thunder back ground lightning eyes) Arrrrg.
P2: Sorry. (image disappears)
P1: HYPOTHESIZES that by asking more questions we can better understand the root of the problem, and thus address the issue in a deep meaningful way, rather than just ‘treating the symptoms’ as it were.
P2: Want a list of my symptoms?
P1: No.
P2: You have no curiosity about the world. (huff)
P1: (So frustrated smoke comes out of his ears – bad special effects)
P1: (back to normal) So, when exploring a problem, the Power Of Questions is about asking lots of questions. Easy right? Not always. It is simple, but the habit of asking questions instead of leaping to a solution can take time to nurture and practice. Most of us hear about a problem and instantly “know” how to fix it.
P2: Best way to get over someone is to get under someone.
P1: Crass, but a good example.
P2: A rolling stone gathers no moss.
P1: I don’t think that’s quite right.
P2: 1-2-3 and to the 4. Snoop doggy dog and Dr. Dre are at the door.
P1: No! What? What? What the fuck are you talking about?
P2: I thought we were playing a game.
P1: What game?
P2: Something about questions?
P1: You are the worst.
P2: Second worst.
P1: ANYWAY – How do you apply the power of questions? You keep asking questions of the person who has the problem to solve or pattern they want to shift. For example –
P2: I need to buy weed.
P1: What the fuck does that have to do with anything?
P1: Fine. You have a problem. You need to buy weed. My natural instinct is to say something like, “Well, then go to the store and buy some, you fool”, but instead, I will apply the power of questions.
Okay P2, Why do you want to buy weed?
P2: Cuz I like weed, and I smoked it all, and now I have no weed, and I would like to have some weed. To smoke it.
P1: (getting visibly more frustrated as the questions progress). Okay. How much weed do you want to buy?
P2: An eighth.
P1: Where did you last buy weed?
P2: At the store on the corner. They are my favourite.
P1: What is standing in your way of returning to them to buy more weed?
P2: This fucking video, man. I just need to take a 10-minute break to bop over and bop back. Seriously dude! When is lunch?
P1: And scene. This is a good – if fucking stupid – example. If I had just told P2 to go buy weed, I would never have understood that the barrier to his buying weed was not his lack of understanding of going to the store and buying it but the fact that we had not yet taken a lunch break. Now, when I craft recommend, craft, or cocreate a solution with P2 to his no weed problem, I know to address the right issue – needing a break, rather than focusing all my attention on telling him there is a weed store right next door.
P2: So seriously. Are we taking five or what?
P1: *tantrum* Shut the fuck up!
P2: Touchy.
P1: When is it best to use the Power of Questions? Whenever you are faced with a pattern you want to shift or a problem you want to solve. Ask lots of questions. Dig deep. Even if you are alone, keep asking questions until you get to the root of the issue. You may still end up choosing the same solution, but you’ll know that it is going to make a difference rather than just assuming it will.
Action steps: Write down a list of questions or question stems – generic phrases you can customize to suit your issue – or use our free downloadable template linked in the comments below (wink).
Write down a shit list: ALL the shit that is bugging you or bothering you. Pick one that you would really like to impact and apply the power of questions to it. See how deep you can follow the problem. When you feel like you hit bottom, use that new information to make a plan for your next steps. What action will you take to impact this root of your issue? Then do that thing.
Remember: Nothing works if you don’t. Anything can work if you do it. Apply and practice what you learn to Level Up.
P2: (mimics Mario music sounds, throws something, is spinning plates or something ridiculous)
P1: Fuck my life.
Try it out and let us know how it goes in the comments below. Apply it now and see what comes next.
As always, references and resources are in the description.
P2: Please don’t say the thing…
P1: (aside) I have to say the thing. Join us in the next video, where we keep digging into other shit that might make your life work or business better if you apply it…
P2: If you say the thing, I am going to fart. I’ve been holding it in for a long time, and I was going to go outside to crack it off, but I will open the floodgates in this tiny little recording studio if you say it.
P1: Remember to Like and Subscribe
P2: (Squishes up face like he is farting.)
Cut to footage of something exploding, a building crumbling, something ridiculous. Static Roll credits over a dead black screen.
***
Time’s up! What did you write? Share in the comments, or send me an email. Let’s try again tomorrow! Here’s to the writing challenge!!
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See you tomorrow!
With Love,
Snow White and the Wicked Curse: Chapter 1
Snow White and the Vicious Curse: Chapter 2
Snow White and the Seven Thieves: Chapter 3
The final chapter, Snow White and the Poisoned Apple.
Prefer to read the whole story at once? Grab your copy of Snow: The Complete Erotic Series now! All five books are coming soon in Paperback.
Facebook | Instagram |GoodReads |Pinterest|Website | Amazon Author Page
With Love,
Check out her books:
Snow White and the Wicked Queen: Chapter 1
Snow White and the Vicious Curse: Chapter 2
Snow White and the Seven Thieves: Chapter 3
Snow White and the Poisoned Apple: The Final Chapter
Prefer to read the whole story at once? Grab your copy of Snow: The Complete Erotic Series now! All five books are available now as ebooks and paperbacks. Coming soon in Large Print format!
2nd edition coming 2025!
