Questions Are The New Answers

How reframing problems unlocks deeper purpose

🌸 ikigai 生き甲斐 is a reason for being, your purpose in life - from the Japanese iki 生き meaning life and gai 甲斐 meaning worth 🌸

I always thought that having answers was the point.

If I learned enough, read enough, experienced enough, I'd be able to figure it *all* out.

In writing about gender inequity recently I noticed that the process itself evolves. What often starts with what I assume to be a clear problem statement, keeps morphing into heaps and heaps of questions.

The more I explore, the more I am realising that often the questions themselves are more valuable than any single answer.

I’m following this strand of thought, a shift from just seeking answers to sitting for longer with the questions and how that might transform my thinking on purpose and meaning.

The most immediate benefit is that it's naturally changing my approach to refining my 12 favourite problems, a concept borrowed from physicist Richard Feynman who believed in always carrying around a set of problems to ponder.

Interestingly when I look back at my raw braindump, it was pretty much just questions I had about the problems I care about. I thought that I had to move away from that into a more closely defined and succinct statement that honed what I really meant.

So here are mine as they stand today, after a round of refinement in my journal;

Sarah’s Twelve Favourite Problems

1. Gender Inequity – Women still face systemic barriers and biases in work and society while speaking up remains risky

2. Education / L&D – Traditional learning environments suppress curiosity, creativity, and individuality

3. Changing World of Work – AI, climate change, mental health declines and outdated structures demand transformative change that institutions resist

4. Confident in Unique Voice – Fear, judgment, and self-doubt silence vital perspectives and contributions

5. Politics & Government – Democratic systems have become disconnected from citizens' needs, people are disengaged and there is a lack of meaningful change

6. Social Media Bubbles – Algorithm-driven platforms amplify division, outrage, and misinformation

7. Shortform & Infinite Scroll – Digital attention crisis with short-form content and infinite scrolling eroding deep thinking, real life connection and mental wellbeing

8. Food & Ill Health – Ultra-processed food is harming us, yet remains the default option

9. Healing Without Bitterness – Moving forward means letting go without losing your spark

10. Tech v. E-Waste & Power – Innovation priorities overshadow environmental and social costs

11. Ikigai Exploration Practices – Purpose should be a practical tool, not just an abstract ideal, especially important due to the ikigai risk of AI

12. Continual Improvement – Refining and evolving core problems is essential

Listing them as problem statements feels different now especially after reading Packy McCormick's insightful essay, Long Questions/Short Answers, in which he states;

"the questions we ask reshape our reality"

That sentence really sparked something in me.

What if instead of seeing these as problems to solve, I re-look at them as questions to live with?

Have I thought through all the key questions I have in each category, the ones I *really* have when I dig deeper without the fear of what others think?

The Answer Trap

We're conditioned from an early age to value having answers. School rewards quick, correct responses. Work celebrates decisive action. Social media amplifies certainty and drowns out nuance. The pressure to know, to be sure, to have it all figured out is huge.

What if solely chasing answers is limiting us?

When we frame something as a problem to solve, we naturally narrow our focus to finding solutions. While this can be efficient for simple challenges (like fixing an AI prompt that needs a tweak), it can be surprisingly counterproductive for complex issues that really matter (like finding purpose or creating societal change).

From Problems to Possibilities

Let's look at how this transformation works with an example. Taking my first problem statement about gender equity; "Women still face systemic barriers and biases in work and society and speaking up remains risky."

As a problem, this feels overwhelming. Where do you even start? The scope is massive, the causes complicated, the solutions unclear. It's easy to feel paralysed or resort to oversimplified answers.

But watch what happens when we transform it into questions;

🌸 "How might we create environments where everyone thrives?"

🌸 "What makes some people resistant to seeing inequality?"

🌸 "Where do my own blind spots and biases lie?"

🌸 "How can I use my voice and position more effectively?"

Suddenly, instead of a single intimidating problem, we have multiple pathways for exploration and growth. Each question opens up new possibilities for understanding and action.

Living the Questions

I don’t want to avoid answers or action, but to approach complex challenges with curiosity instead of presumed certainty.

This is about staying open to new understanding rather than clinging to what we think we know.

When I look at my favourite problems through this lens, new questions emerge;

For social media bubbles "What would digital spaces look like if they were designed to foster curiosity instead of outrage?"

For education / L&D "How do we nurture creativity and independent thinking in a system built for standardisation?"

For healing without bitterness "What practices help transform past pain into strength and purpose?"

For the future of work "What makes work meaningful beyond productivity?"

We can take each of our 12 most passionate problems and brainstorm as many questions as we can for each. Not worrying about the quality just a genuine outpouring of all the questions we have, even those ones we worry are stupid, perhaps especially those.

Each question becomes a compass point, guiding exploration rather than demanding immediate solutions.

Questions as Growth Tools

The power of living with questions comes from how they can change us.

When we approach life with genuine curiosity, we;

• Stay open to new perspectives

• Notice patterns we missed before

• Build deeper understanding

• Create space for emergence

• Maintain beginner's mindset

Our questions can be tools for growth rather than solely problems awaiting solutions.

How to Turn Problems to Questions

Ready to transform your own problems into questions? Here's a simple process;

1. List your current challenges

2. For each one, ask "What am I curious about here?"

3. Transform statements into open questions

4. Notice which questions energise you

5. Live with these questions, letting them guide you

Some journal prompts to get you started;

- "What problem am I trying to solve?"

- "What deeper questions lie beneath this challenge?"

- "What am I assuming I already know?"

- “What is my agenda with this?”

- "What would I be interested in exploring if I had no pressure to find an answer?"

The Art of Not Knowing

There's something liberating about embracing questions over answers. It takes the pressure off having everything figured out. Instead of carrying the weight of unsolved problems, we get to explore life's mysteries with curiosity and openness.

This doesn't mean we stop seeking solutions or taking action. Instead, we act from a place of genuine enquiry rather than presumed certainty. We stay open to new understanding even as we move forward.

What questions are you living with? How might transforming your problems into questions open up new possibilities?

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Sarah, seeking ikigai xxx

PS - Here's a challenging but fun journal exercise. Take your biggest current problem and try to generate 20 different questions about it. Don't worry about finding "good" questions, just let your curiosity lead the way. You might be surprised at what emerges.

PPS - Sometimes music asks the best questions, here's one that always makes me think, a beautifully existential song about awareness, perspective, and fleeting moments.