Do I Already Know the Answer to this Question?

NOTE: I originally wrote this article in 2003 for The Journal's monthly newsletter. Last week, reading The Flinch by Julien Smith made me remember this article. This has been one of my primary ways of dealing with "the flinch".
 
I've discovered a simple way to use journaling to help me solve personal, professional, and spiritual problems. It boils down to this simple question:
 
"Do I already know the answer to this question?"
 
For example, I may be trying to figure out why my wife is upset at me. There I was, innocently reading a book on the sofa, and *Boom!* We have a problem. Seemingly out of nowhere. Later, after the weapons of spouse warfare have been laid aside and peace restored, I fire up The Journal and ask myself, "Is there really a mystery here? Or do I already know the answer to this question?" Often I find myself listing out what I knew all along and simply hadn't heeded or acted on. Of course, this exercise only works if I'm honest with myself, and jot down everything I know that I know about the current situation.
 
I've used this simple question, "Do I already know the answer to this question?" in numerous situations. Here are a few other examples:
 
* Why aren't I happier?
* How can I be a better husband?
* How can I be a better parent?
* How can I do a better job?
* How can I improve sales?
* How do I end this scene/chapter/novel?
 
When I find myself stumped (or when I notice that I'm stumped), I stop and reflect. Am I really stumped? Do I really not know the answer? Or am I just avoiding admitting what I already know? Sometimes I really don't know, but then I at least have acknowledged my ignorance and can work to solve that.
 
How does this exercise work? I'm no psychologist, but I've been a human being all my life, and as a group we all tend to *know* better than we *do*. Whether out of habit, laziness, or whatever, we prefer to do what we've always done, even when we know there's a better way to go about it.
 
By sitting down with your journal, though, and writing down (or typing out) what you know that you know about a given situation or problem, and what you know you don't know, you may be surprised. You may find that you already know the answer you've been desperately seeking (or actively avoiding).
 
So, next time you find you're facing a question or problem, and you're not sure how to solve it, sit down and ask yourself, "Do I already know the answer to this question?"
 
Make your possible answers as detailed as you can. And don't just list the answers that favor you being right, or a helpless victim. Branch out into new territory. Explore all possibilities.
 
Give yourself at least 10 uninterrupted minutes to answer. You may want to take longer, of course. Even if you don't find an explicit answer, you will better understand yourself and your situation.
 
Odds are, you already know the answer to the question or problem that has been plaguing you. Take the time to ask yourself. You might be surprised what you can tell you.
 
-David
 
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