40 Unusual, Brilliant Questions to Get You Thinking

This came through on one of those emails that are so recognisable and almost immediately deletable; big photographs and deep, meaningful statements about the state of the world or the importance of love and friendship but this time, it's a series of questions.

Now, if you have a preference for extraversion (red/yellow combination), the likelihood is that you struggle with those exercises that actually require you to stop and reflect, to ponder and consider, but that's exactly where the benefit of this list of questions lies.

So, before you start, we recommend that you find a comfortable space with no distraction and get a piece of paper ready (writing down your instinctive answers will give you the chance to reflect on them afterwards and thereby increase the likelihood of you actually taking action, if appropriate). Remember, every thought has a reason.

Once you have been through all the questions, go back over them with the answers you've written down, reflect and ask yourself the question 'what small changes can I make happen today to help me achieve a better outcome and feel more fulfilled?'.

Brilliant Questions to Ask Yourself

1. If today were the last day of your life, would you want to do what you are about to do today?

2. What worries you the most about the future?

3. Are you holding onto something that you need to let go of?

4. If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend?

5. What is the difference between living and existing?

6. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?

7. What impact do you want to leave on the world?

8. Is it out of reach? Or have you just not stretched yourself enough?

9. In the haste of our daily lives, what are we not seeing?

10. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don't like and like so many things we don't do?

11. If you looked into the heart of your enemy, what do you think you would find that is different from what is in your own heart?

12. Life is too short to tolerate?

13. If you haven't achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?

14. How do you know whether it's time to continue holding on or time to let go?

15. Why do you matter?

16. How many of your friends would you trust with your life?

17. Are you happy with yourself?

18. What is the one fear that you know is holding you back?

19. What do you do with the majority of your money?

20. Based on your current daily actions and routines, where would you expect to be in five years?

21. Would you rather your child be less attractive and extremely intelligent or extremely attractive and less intelligent?

22. What have you done that you are proud of?

23. Other than money, what else do you get out of your current job?

24. What do you sometimes pretend you understand that you really don't?

25. What's the number one change you need to make in your life in the next twelve months?

26. When did you not speak up when you should have?

27. What are you procrastinating on right at this moment?

28. In what way are you your own worst enemy?

29. What do you wish you didn't know?

30. What have you given up on?

31. What big lesson could people learn from your life?

32. What mistakes do you make over and over?

33. What do you do when you love someone who doesn't love you back?

34. What has been draining your happiness?

35. What's the number one thing you intend to accomplish before you die?

36. What has the little voice inside your head been saying lately?

37. What is worse than death?

38. How short would your life have to be before you would start living differently today?

39. What do you do when other people don't like you?

40. What's the one easy way to waste a life?