I've been doing a lot of writing and researching and reflecting over the last few weeks and I've come to the realization that I, like the majority of my own clients and audience, have a messaging problem.
I used to talk about a lot of things. A lot... motherhood, tech, websites, productivity, business, magic, astrology, tarot... and on and on. Where's the thread pulling it all together? Taking two years away from actually communicating any message only confounded my problem.
Because, really, what the hell am I doing anymore? What did I ever actually do?
And I realized, through many conversations recently, that that's what I do. I ask questions.
Really well.
Whether it's in the group chat with friends, in one-on-one sessions with clients, or random encounters with strangers I hear the same thing over and over and over again:
- "That's a really great question."
- "... what an interesting question!"
- "Oh! [blinks] Shit. [long pause] What a question..."
Or, the most recent from my friend Amanda: "Ugh you and your questions." (Said lovingly... I think... and the impetus for this email)
Back in the day I even had an offering, "Questions from the Tarot," where your reading was simply a question for you to reflect on, not an answer to persuade you. Because I knew it was getting to the right question that mattered most.
The right question hits home.
The right question makes you pause. It makes you contemplate. It makes your brain reorganize your thoughts and get clear on what you're actually trying to do or actually want to say. (I'm fun at parties!)
Which brings me back to that whole "messaging" problem. Asking the right questions can reveal so much about who we are and what we do and the direction we are going vs where we want to go. The right questions get specific. They don't give you room to avoid, but expand.
So the last several weeks I've been asking myself the following question:
Without mentioning your title or framework or process or a product or service... what do you do? What is the problem you love solving for the people you love working with?
Can you answer this question for yourself?
Until next time...
Patty
P.S. My answer revealed many more underlying questions. Which, of course, is so me. How about you?
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