The magic of a question
Something almost magical happens when someone else asks us a question and then really listens to our answer. Like the proverbial key to a treasure chest full of incredible riches, questions somehow open our brains. They help us come up with new ideas, see a problem from different perspectives, and discover solutions we never knew we knew about!
Because that knowledge comes from within us, not from the outside world, it is truly “ours.” By this I mean that it quickly becomes part of our conscious awareness; It is not something we have to “get into” in the brain or rush to learn.
This approach to learning and problem solving is known as the “Socratic method.” Mentioned for the first time by Plato in the Socratic Dialogues (4th century BC), the method consists in the background of a conversation between two people: the questioner / listener and the speaker. The Greeks used the Socratic method to explore philosophical questions that revolved around ethics and morals. In modern times, many law schools have adopted it as a way of teaching students to think like a lawyer.
However, both uses can be quite conflicting, because they usually involve defending one point of view against another. They also assume that the Speaker is an “expert” whose goal is to lead the Speaker to a particular point of view or understanding through a series of carefully selected questions.
Unlocking the genius within
Unlike this app, people in the Accelerated Learning and Creativity movements have started to take a different approach. One man in particular, Win Wenger, has contributed to the field. Author of “The Einstein Factor: A Proven New Method to Increase Your Intelligence,” Win has developed countless questioning techniques that emphasize open exploration. In his approach, there is no “correct” answer, and no final destination. Instead, the speaker is encouraged to explore, invent, and experience their own creative journey.
And the only experience required of the questioner is the ability to listen well, ask questions, and encourage thoughtful responses.
As a result, many people have found that when someone asks them questions about a topic that is meaningful to them, and actually listens to their responses, the doors open to their own creative genius deep within themselves.
Everything we focus on grows
Part of the reason for this, Win explains, is that describing our perceptions out loud in detail to another person stimulates our ability to perceive more deeply. In other words, everything we focus on grows. The more aware we are of our own perceptions, the greater our ability to create and solve problems.
Win strongly believes that:
“Genius is already present in almost everyone if it is given the opportunity to express itself and emerge. It is there in your own consciousness, not in someone else’s memorized second-hand data.”
And the questioning / speaking process inherent in the Socratic method not only reinforces such perceptions, but also the general trait of being aware.
So if your goal is to develop your creativity or find a unique solution to something that challenges you, find someone to talk to – someone who will ask you questions and listen carefully to your answers.