One of the many great things about small children is that they’re rarely afraid to question authority. Many of them are quite happy to repeatedly ask the simple question ‘Why?’ in response to almost anything they’re told and any answer they’re given.

Naturally enough most parents will pretty soon discourage them from this habit, but that is in some ways a shame. Being able to question even the most basic and seemingly self-evident assumptions can have a lot of value.

Look back at the list you made yesterday, and at the goals you decided that you ‘have to’ achieve. Why do you have to achieve them, rather than just doing them if you feel like it? Whatever answer you come up with, ask yourself as a small child would, ‘Why?’ And whatever answers you come up with, ask ‘Why?’ again.

Keep going. It may be annoying, but the repeated use of that question will cause you to start to explore and examine the most basic beliefs and assumptions you make about the world around you, and will make you more aware of them. Again, write them down.

With that done, take a look at them. Are these answers factual statements or matters of opinion?

We’ll come to that important question tomorrow.