The Questions You’re Asking Might Be Keeping You Stuck

We’ve all been there. You wake up, work, eat, sleep, and repeat. Life feels comfortable but oddly stagnant. You might even find yourself asking: “Is this it? Is this really where I’m supposed to be?”

Congratulations! You’ve reached the starting point of growth.

The truth is, the questions we ask ourselves shape the lives we create. But what happens when the questions we ask are the wrong ones?

The Problem with Big Questions

Society loves big questions:

• What’s my five-year plan?
• What’s my life’s purpose?
• How do I fix everything wrong with my life?

These sound profound, like something you’d hear in a motivational seminar or read in a bestseller. But in reality, they often leave us spinning our wheels.

Why? Because they’re too vague, too overwhelming, and often ask you to predict the future...something no one (not even ChatGPT) can accurately do. Instead of motivating you, these questions keep you stuck in analysis paralysis.

The Power of Smaller Questions

What if, instead of asking massive questions that demand existential clarity, you asked simpler, more actionable ones?

Let’s reframe:

• Instead of “What’s my life’s purpose?” try “What’s one thing I enjoy doing, even if I’m terrible at it?”
• Instead of “How do I become more confident?” ask “When was the last time I felt proud of myself, and why?”
• Instead of “What’s the right career move?” consider “What excites me enough to make me want to get out of bed tomorrow?”

These questions may not land you a TED Talk, but they will get you unstuck. They shift the focus from solving everything all at once to taking one small, meaningful step forward.

Curiosity: The Secret Ingredient

At the heart of these “smaller” questions is curiosity and it’s a powerful tool.

When you ask better questions, your brain gets a dopamine boost. You start seeing problems as opportunities and begin exploring ideas you hadn’t considered before. Curiosity helps you zoom out, disrupt old patterns, and approach challenges from a fresh angle.

Think of it as the mental equivalent of tilting your head at a problem and saying, “Huh. I wonder…”

Without curiosity, life becomes repetitive and predictable. With curiosity, you see possibilities everywhere.

What Coaching Has Taught Me About Questions

As a coach (and someone who once spent an evening learning everything about penguin mating habits after a single passing comment), I’ve seen the power of questions firsthand.

The best ones are not the smartest or the deepest: they are the ones that help you see the same problem from a different perspective.

Here is one thing I have learned: coaching isn’t about giving you answers. It’s about helping you ask better questions. The kind that empower you to think differently, explore possibilities, and take action.

Instead of asking, “How do I fix this?” coaching encourages you to explore:

• What is really driving this problem for me?
• What would success feel like (not just look like?)
• What small step could create the biggest shift right now?

These aren’t life-altering questions at first glance, but they’re the kind that open the door to big transformations.

A Final Thought: Life Doesn’t Change With Answers. It Changes With Questions

Your questions shape your life. They define what you focus on and how you move forward.

So, the next time you feel stuck, don’t overwhelm yourself with a question like “What’s my ultimate purpose?” Instead, try something simple, curious, and dare I say fun:

• What’s one thing I’ve been doing just because I think I should?
• What tiny change could make today 5% better?
• What’s one weird skill I’d love to master, just for fun?

You might not uncover the meaning of life, but you’ll find something even better: momentum.

Ready to Explore What’s Next?

If you’re feeling stuck or unsure about the next step, let’s chat! Coaching isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about asking the kinds of questions that lead to clarity, confidence, and action.

?? Book a free discovery call ?? juliekasinskicoaching.com

And if you want to geek out about curiosity, check out the full breakdown on my blog here ?? [About Curiosity and Coaching]