perennially great questions to ask

Life is modular, not linear. You don't choose a career at twenty-two and stick with it for forty years like some kind of professional arranged marriage. Instead of hunting for the mythical perfect tree, follow your curiosity. What ideas make you pause while scrolling? What conversations do you find yourself returning to days later? When a friend... See more

If you ask yourself how to be more you in whatever you’re in the thick of, what happens for you?

Which of my strongest beliefs are formed on second-hand information vs. first-hand experience?

If I could not compare myself to anyone else, how would I define a good life?

Whose views do I criticize that I would actually agree with if I lived in their shoes?

Who do I envy that is actually less happy than I am?

Looking back, am I any good at... See more

Who do you secretly envy—and what does that reveal about what you truly value?

Describe your ideal self—the qualities you’d most like to embody—in five words. Then, to find your shadow self, locate the opposing qualities of each one. The shadow self describes the parts of ourselves we most ardently reject and repress. I think my ideal self would be: insightful, generous, authentic, funny, discerning. That means my shadow self... See more

Many of us spend our lives pursuing private acceptance through external success. But no matter the award or honor, our inner doubts will remain. True acceptance comes from inside us. It takes asking ourselves challenging questions like: What do I want from my work? What’s most important about it to me ? How would I create my work differently if I... See more