James Schramko Shows How Asking Questions Can Change Your Mindset For Success

One of the main differences between successful individuals and people who are struggling with failure is the kind of questions that they ask themselves — or whether they ask any questions at all. Self-made CEO James Schramko remarks, “A lot of people are just moving around in a trance. There’s not a lot going on, they’re almost numb. They just go off to work, they come home from work, they watch television, and so on and so forth until they get old.”


He states that what differentiates successful people from the others is their active participation in their surroundings. They could be simply observing what is going on around them or making changes to their choices and lifestyles, but at the bottom of this is a drive to be part of the world they are in and make a change for the better. And if you’re wondering how these individuals ended up having such a strong motivation for improvement, the answer is simple: they are critical of their thoughts and ask the right kind of questions.

To demonstrate how powerful questions can be to improving your outlook in life, try to think of how you would react to failure. What are the questions you would ask yourself? People with a negative mindset would ask who to blame or how they can pass the blame to someone else. Another negative way to react is by asking what is wrong with your person and simply focusing on criticizing yourself. On the other hand, questions that can lead to positive personal growth include, “How can I learn from this experience?” and “What can I do differently to achieve a good result?” Such questions focus on finding solutions, paving the way towards improvement and making you more productive in the long run.

Questions are effective in changing mindsets because they can help direct thoughts and emotions. Two questions with different tones and points of emphasis will lead you to two very different outcomes, so be mindful of what you are asking yourself. For example, if someone makes a thoughtless comment about you, you can ask yourself two things: “Why doesn’t he like me?” or “What can I do to make him feel better?” The first is likely to lead to pointless self-criticism while the second question prepares you for a positive change.

So what exactly are the right questions? Simply put, the right questions lead you towards positive growth and help you become empowered so that you can improve yourself. The right questions often include a positive assumption, such as “What opportunities will arise from this challenge?” or “What part of this task is really exciting?” Making optimistic assumptions about a certain situation (even if it is difficult) can drive you towards a positive direction, ultimately leading you towards success. Go to ThinkWayBigger.com and be one of the many people that James Schramko has helped all over the world.