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The Inquiring Mind

“If you do not ask the right questions, you do not get the right answers. … Only the inquiring mind solves problems.” — Edward Hodnett

Don’t try to solve problems before knowing why the problems came up in the first place. Although it usually does not matter, solving problems before understanding why they came up can be counterproductive. It’s like a doctor treating a condition before knowing why you have the condition. The treatment, although likely effective, might make the condition worse or might mask the real problem. Unless there is a clear emergency and immediate action is necessary to prevent further, significantly worse problems, take the extra time to figure out the “why” of the situation. This reduces the likelihood of mistakes and errors in judgment and helps in another, equally important way. It prevents your acting impulsively or by jumping to conclusions.

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