The Art of Asking a Question

Back in the early days of Health-Ade Kombucha, it felt relatively easy to stay on top of things and get sh*t done…because even though we were a newer company, my co-founders and I had a crystal clear mandate to win and we went after it.  Control was only an arm’s length away…

But when we started scaling and growing the business (and our team), things changed drastically. Because I depended on other people to deliver and often many times removed, I felt this overwhelming need to know everything about everything.  Call it being a Virgo or crazed founder, but I found myself peppering the team with questions just to make myself feel better or more in control.

Around this time, I stumbled upon this quote from Tim Ferriss that stopped me in my tracks. It made me totally reassess how I led teams and my approach with communications.

Cut to the last year or so, when I first started thinking about this next chapter for me, I felt like I kept getting myself all excited only to lose steam and lack a plan any time I took a step in a new direction. 

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to step into the next chapter per se…

…But it was more like I couldn’t see a vision or the full picture of what it would look like IRL.  It all didn’t feel quite right.

I also noticed that all the questions I was asking myself to get there were incredibly vague, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t dial it in. 

That’s when I discovered a great podcast conversation with Jesse Itzler where he talks about how to navigate life when we have many paths. 

The big Q he likes to ask himself? 

Which path makes for the best story? 

Basically, I think this question allows you to decide what feels fun, joyful, and something you’d be proud of at say…age 80…when you look back on your life. 

This question has served me well in this season of life and career transition and is the quickest way for me to tap back into what really matters. It's ultimately about meaning, making and living with intention, and how the experiences and memory of it all will be with me in the best way. I use this question as a tool for cutting through the overthinking and it has helped me move from analysis paralysis to meaningful action.

In fact, doing the work, hard questions and digging deep is what led me to create the Aline Foundation in honor of my mom. 

As I was sitting there, trying to determine how to integrate philanthropic work into how I live—not just for me but for the women I wanted to serve—I flashed back to that question. 

For me, it was finding a way to feel connected to my mom and the energy of her generosity while crafting a new narrative and a new story…

…where women have the spaciousness, confidence, and freedom to take care of themselves, too. 

If you’re reading this and you’ve been feeling a little lost on your path to figuring out what’s next, why not change the way you ask the question to yourself?

You might be surprised by what answers you come up with. 

Until next time, 
Vanessa