Asking the right questions can reframe how you respond to challenges

I’m a big fan of Annie Duke’s Substack, “Thinking in Bets.” Duke is a former professional poker player who has written several books and speaks about decision-making.

In a recent post, director Zack Arnold poses questions from Duke’s book “Quit.” These are confusing times for many of us, so before we do something we regret, maybe we recast the questions we ask.

Instead of asking, “What’s going to happen next?” we can ask, “What do I know? And what don’t I know?”

There is far more that we don’t know than we do. For example, we don’t know what is going to happen in the Middle East or between Russia and Ukraine.

We don’t know the duration, magnitude, or long-term impact of the tariffs. We don’t know the effects of the shifts in higher education, immigration and taxation.

And we don’t know the short-term direction of the markets or the dollar.

But we know what we are spending, what we own, what we owe. We know whether our will matches our wealth transfer wishes. We know what we have direct control over.

These are the things that you can and should impact.

Instead of asking, “Should I keep trying to make it work?” we can ask, “What needs to be true for me to continue?”

This can apply to how you do your job or whether a housing move makes sense. This approach creates possibilities rather than regrets.

Instead of asking, “Do I have to start over?” we can ask, “Where can I be helpful to others right now?”

If you are at a stage of life where advancement is not your priority, then consider what you can do to enrich others around you.

In my job, I get to have daily conversations with clients about what is important to them and whether their actions align with those priorities. It is incredibly fulfilling.

I suspect there are others who can benefit from the experience you have accrued over your lifetime. Seek those people out and share your gifts.

Duke believes “the worst time to make a decision is when you’re in it.”

If you are feeling particularly stressed about your current environment, it may seem like the only way to resolve this discomfort is through change.

While that may be true, it doesn’t necessarily mean a change in positions. It may mean changing how you show up or how you address those things that are bothering you.

Spend your life wisely.