There is one thing my father taught me and it has stayed with me all these years. He taught me to ask the question “why?”
My father taught me to question things as a child. If my mum or aunty wanted to send me on an errand, my father would say to them “Tell her why she should go.”
When my father wasn’t around and I was sent on an errand that I didn’t understand, I would ask “Why?” Needless to say, this led to several slaps and beatings from elder ones who thought I was being rude but the message of “why” stayed with me.
As I grew up, I moved beyond questioning errands. I questioned things in general. I questioned systems. I questioned behaviour patterns. I questioned everything, really. I wanted to know why. I wanted to know why things couldn’t be done in another way. Why do we have to follow route A and not route B? The easiest way down the path of mediocrity is by failing to ask the question “why?”
I am yet to see a great person who became great simply by accepting the status quo. They questioned things. We fly in airplanes today because someone asked the question “why?” We are using smartphones in different shapes and sizes because someone thought of pushing the limits of technology by asking why.
The question “why?” is a powerful one. It can set you of the path of greatness if you use it well. How often do you ask why?
You have used the same method of work on your job all these years. Why? Isn’t there a better way of doing it; a more efficient way? You have stayed within the same sphere of influence for over five years now; why? You have the same set of skills you had when you graduated 10 years ago; why? Why aren’t you growing? Why has your business not improved? Why haven’t you grown all this while?
The question “why” keeps you on your toes. One thing I truly hate in life is monotonous tasks but there are times they cannot be avoided. That’s where I get creative. I ask why.
Why can’t I do this mundane task in a different way? Who said posts have to be scheduled this way? Why can’t I spice up my routine? Is there a way to make this content more interesting and engaging? These are the questions I ask myself on a daily basis.
I don’t always get the answers immediately but something is stirred up from within and I am always on the lookout for a better approach. You can be sure that the answers do come and I grow. Of course, soon enough I become bored again and I ask the question “why?”
Never stop asking why. Never stop pushing the limits and boundaries. One thing I am looking forward to is the day we disrupt the way church services are done in Nigeria for example. You can definitely predict how a typical church service will go. I am waiting for that church that will ask why and shake things up.
You should do so in your life. Shake things up in your job and your business. Dare to be different. Dare to be excellent.
About the Writer: Adedoyin Jaiyesimi is a Writer, Media Content Creator and Brand Manager. The various publications she has written for include Y! Magazine (now Y! Africa), Discovery, Pride Magazine Nigeria, Butterscotch magazine amongst others. She currently holds the position of Brand Communications Manager at Victor Adeyemi Ministries and she is also the founder of LRouge Media, an editorial and brand consultancy company which provides content writing and editing services for business websites, magazines and blogs. When she is not creating content, you can find her in church doing the work of her Father. She tweets @msdoyeen and blogs at
www.adedoyinjaiyesimi.wordpress.com
