How the question burst method gives us hope in the face of hard problems

Hi All,

My last newsletter was on September 28^th.  I took a break from writing the newsletter and posting to Twitter while I tackled two big challenges in October.

One was Sean D’Souza’s Article Writing Course which has been taking about an hour a day and well worth the time spent.

The other is facilitating in the Building A Second Brain course.

Later, I’ll write about what I learned from both experiences that will be helpful to you.  Meanwhile, let’s get to today’s topics.

I. My Next Build In Public Challenge - Help Me Decide

II. Article: How the question burst method gives us hope in the face of hard problems

III. Two ways I can help you

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I. My Next Build In Public Challenge - Help Me Decide

I’ve joined Kevon Cheung’s Build In Public 30 Day Challenge. 

For the next thirty days I’ll be creating a project and sharing what I learn that may be helpful to you.

However, I have to decide which offer I’ll create next and I’m hoping you can help me decide.

Here are the options.

A: How to create marketable skills sessions workshops

B: How to choose winning course ideas

More details below.

A: Creating skills session workshops

Online workshops generate instant authority. But people can spend up to 10 hours developing a sixty minute class.

Imagine that you can create a 90-minute workshop that gets you rave reviews with just 2 hours of prep.

That's what you'd learn how to do with my skills sessions training.

I put on 7 of these workshops over the past few months, and they all got rave reviews. 

B: Winning Course Ideas

One thing that keeps people from creating a course is not having confidence in their idea. It's hard to stay focused on creating something when you aren't sure it's the right thing.

I can show you how to sharpen your course idea and then shape it using feedback from the right people.  That way you'll be able to complete your course and offer it to the world.

So which do you want me to build for you?

Option A: Skills Session Training

Option B: Winning Course Ideas

Let me know by emailing me, leaving a comment or replying to this Twitter/X thread.

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II. How the question burst method gives us hope in the face of hard problems

Did you know that by the 1980s, over half the carrot crop in the US was thrown away?

Most carrots were considered too ugly to sell in stores. Now, not only are the ugly carrots not thrown away, they are sold at higher prices than regular carrots. Here’s how that happend.

In 1986, Mike Yurosek, a carrot farmer in California, asked a question that would change his industry forever.

He’d grown tired of throwing away misshapen carrots. He asked, “How can I sell the ugly carrots?” So he carved some into two-inch pieces, then gave them to a local grocery store along with a shipment of regular carrots.

The next day, the store manager called back and said, "We only want those." Shoppers loved the bite-sized carrots because they were so convenient.

Thus, “baby carrots” were invented.

Since their invention, the consumption of carrots has more than doubled. Before the 1980s, the carrot industry was in a rut. But by asking the right question, Yurosek found an elegant solution.

When we are stuck in a rut, we too, can get unstuck by asking the right questions.

But how do we find the right questions?
One way is with the question burst method.

What is the question burst method?
It is a way to solve a problem by brainstorming questions instead of solutions, created by Hal Gregerson and outlined in his book Questions are the Answer. These questions give you new perspectives that help you address a problem more effectively.

How does the question burst work?

1. First, you identify a problem you want to solve.

2. Next, you brainstorm questions to help you address the problem.

3. Finally, you decide which questions will most help you address the issue.

So, how do you use the question burst method?
Here are the three steps with a bit more detail.

1 Prepare
2 Brainstorm
3 Reflect

1. Prepare.
Find a challenge you care about. Then, write down how you feel about the problem now in just a few words, such as "I'm feeling anxious." "I'm feeling resentful." "I'm feeling sad."

2. Brainstorm.
Set a timer for four minutes. Then, list as many questions as you can in that timeframe. Resist any urge to answer the question while you brainstorm. You can answer them later.

3. Reflect.
Notice if your feeling about the issue has shifted or not. Maybe you feel better, maybe you feel worse. Ask why you think your feeling has changed.

Then, filter your questions. Highlight any questions that are different from what you'd normally ask or that intrigue you or feel uncomfortable.

Finally, choose 1-3 questions and commit to taking action to answer them. Schedule a day and time to determine how you'd answer the question. That may involve research, talking to others, or doing reflection.

When people use the question burst, they often start out feeling stuck, anxious, or down, but afterward, they often have good feelings. The new perspective they gain gives them hope.

Here’s how I used the question burst recently.
Last week, I was having a hard time motivating myself to do the work I needed for my job. I brainstormed questions to see if I could gain some insight that might help.

I listed 19 questions in 4 minutes. But one that really made me pause was, "Why was I more motivated in the past to do the same work?"

I went for a walk, and then an answer came to me:

There's a major project I'm working on, and to accomplish it will require me to completely reorganize everything I do on my job. I'll have to delegate things that I've been doing for years.

A prospect I dread.

Once I realized that, I was energized since I knew what I needed to do to solve the problem. I felt much better.

What problem will you address with the question burst method?  Try the steps, then let me know if it helps you.

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III. Two ways I can help you

The Atomic Course Blueprint - Want to create a course without the usual overwhelm? Try creating a tiny course. Find out more here.

iPARA: How to organize your digital life for action- Is digital disorganization keeping you from reaching your goals? What if just four folders could let you not just stay organized but actually get things done. See for yourself here.

That’s it for this week. I’ll see you next week with another issue.

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Still here?

I really appreciate you.

If you really want to make me feel great, email me to say hi or leave a comment. It keeps me motivated to produce each issue.