Why Is Overrated

When confronted with a previously unforeseen problem, "why?" is an important yet overrated question.

Let's face it: it's human nature for us to ask. When there's a screw up, when things don't go according to plan, when the totally random event takes us by surprise, we want to know why. Why did this happen? Why are we in the situation that we're in now? Why me?

The question is important because it's diagnostic. We're rational (and inquisitive) and thus have a compelling need to understand in order to function.

Yet the trouble with why is that it's about the past. It's about the sequence of events that got us to where we are now; often, this really doesn't matter anymore. Frankly, a lot of the time when we ask why, what we're really dying to know is who or what we can blame for our current predicament, which isn't entirely helpful.

If you were on your way from point A to point C and ended up stuck at point B, why doesn't matter. All that matters is that you aren't at point C yet. Q.E.D.

Rather than ask why, the more relevant question is to ask how, as in "How do I get out of this mess?" or, even more to the point, "How do I move forward in order to achieve my objective?" Unlike why, how is all about the future, about the next steps, about the solution and not the problem.

Semantics? Sure. But the mindset makes a world of difference. How? Ask yourself why.