The 12 favourite questions helping me discover meaning in work & life

We live in a world filled with accelerating change and an enormous amount of information. With the limited amount of time that one has in life, how does one decide what to prioritise?

Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman was aware of this conflict, and developed a framework that helped him navigate through life. While most people find problems bothersome, Feynman took a different approach by using problems as a way to give his life meaning and purpose.

He wrote: “My approach to problem-solving is to carry around a dozen interesting problems, and a dozen interesting solutions to unrelated problems, and eventually, I’ll be able to make connections. You have to keep a dozen of your favourite problems constantly present in your mind, although by and large they will lay in a dormant state.”

When you know your favourite problems, your mind subconsciously looks for answers. These problems, when posed as questions, help you become an explorer. They act like a flashlight and filter to help you navigate all the knowledge and change you encounter. When you engage with other people on their ideas, you unconsciously make connections to your favourite problems / questions. Further, they even help you be more intentional in your behaviour and actions, making all the everyday moments of life feel so much more meaningful.

To figure out your 12 favourite problems / questions, think about

- what makes you curious?
- what areas can you contribute towards?
- what interests have you pursued that have given you an identity?
- what puzzles you about life, work and society?
- what makes you feel like being a child again?

Here are the 12 problems / questions helping me discover meaning in work and life:

Work and Career
1. How do I help education keep pace with the changing world of work?
2. How do I combine different ideas to become a more creative problem solver at work?
3. How do I use leverage as a way to scale up the impact of my individual work?
4. How do I use the thrill of entrepreneurship as a compass to guide my work?

Living Life
5. How do I train my mind and body for a 100 year life?
6. How do I bring about the child in me to live a life filled with play, humour and love?
7. How do I replenish my fuel tank by connecting with, and being inspired by nature?
8. How do I build systems to be a more effective lifelong learner?

Engaging with people
9. How do I use conversations as a way to really understand the other person?
10. How do I make a mark in people’s lives by helping them grow and reach their potential?
11. How do I use give and take as a way to grow my network?
12. How do I bring my true self to any engagement in order to build an authentic connection?