On a quest for self-discovery? Great news! The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates has been waiting for you, and he’s got some questions. Actually, he’s got all the questions. You see, Socrates didn’t write any self-help books or give TED Talks, but his tool for navigating life’s big unknowns was a little thing called Socratic questioning. Let’s talk about how you can use this 2,500-year-old wisdom to define your existence (without spiraling into an existential crisis).
So, What Exactly is Socratic Questioning?
Socratic questioning is the art of asking the kind of questions that make you go, “Hmm, I never thought of it like that.” It’s like a mental workout where the goal isn’t to find the “right” answer, but to challenge the assumptions you’ve been clinging to like an old pair of shoes that don’t even fit anymore. Socrates would have you questioning everything from your life choices to why you keep subscribing to streaming services you never use (don’t worry, we’re all guilty of this one).
This guy wasn’t about feeding you answers on a silver platter. Oh no, Socrates preferred to flip your worldview on its head by making you think deeply—and I mean really deeply—about what you believe. In other words, Socrates was the original master of mind-bending questions. And you thought Inception was confusing!
How Did Socrates Develop This?
Socrates didn’t wake up one day and say, “I’m going to break people’s brains for fun.” He developed his questioning method because he believed that humans were basically walking around with unexamined lives, full of unchallenged assumptions. His approach was to engage people in dialogue by asking a series of probing questions to get them to reflect on their beliefs and, ultimately, realize that they didn’t know as much as they thought they did. (If you’re starting to feel called out, don’t worry—you’re in good company.)
Using Socratic Questioning on Your Self-Discovery Journey
Now, let’s talk about how you can apply this ancient wisdom without developing a permanent furrowed brow from too much deep thinking. Spoiler: You don’t need to go full philosopher-mode, but you can borrow Socrates’ questioning technique to get real with yourself. Here’s how to use it in a way that’ll actually help you figure out what’s going on in that mind of yours:
1. Clarify Your Thinking
You’ve got thoughts, lots of them. But what are they really saying? Instead of letting them run wild, ask yourself, “What exactly do I mean by this?” or “Am I overcomplicating things?” Getting clear about what you think is like cleaning out your mental closet—time to toss out those outdated, cluttered thoughts.
2. Challenge Your Assumptions
Ever stop to ask yourself why you believe something? Socrates would! Maybe it’s time to question those automatic beliefs you’ve been coasting on. “Why do I assume I’ll hate that new hobby?” or “Who said I can’t try something new at this age?” Get curious, because those assumptions are probably outdated—like your last New Year’s resolutions.
3. Ask for Receipts (AKA Seek Evidence)
If you think you know something, prove it. Seriously, where’s the evidence? Ask yourself, “What proof do I have that this belief is true?” If the answer is “Because I’ve always thought that way,” then Socrates would give you his best philosopher’s side-eye. Question it. Trust me, your beliefs aren’t going anywhere unless you drag them out into the light.
4. Consider the Consequences
Alright, what happens if you keep thinking the way you’ve been thinking? “If I keep telling myself I’m too old to learn new tricks, what’s that going to lead to?” Spoiler: It leads to exactly the same place you’re at right now. (Surprise!) Instead, ask yourself how shifting that belief might change things.
5. Explore Alternatives
Guess what? There are other perspectives! Wild, right? Socrates would have you consider them all. “What if I approached this problem differently?” or “How might someone with a different life experience view this situation?” Looking at things from multiple angles can open up insights you didn’t even know were possible.
6. Go Deeper. Then Deeper Still.
You’re not done yet. Keep pushing those questions. Every time you think you’ve landed on an answer, ask “Why?” It’s like peeling an onion—except, you know, less crying. (Unless you really get deep, in which case, maybe keep tissues nearby.)
Defining Your Existence, One Question at a Time
You don’t need to have all the answers. In fact, Socrates would argue that realizing how little you actually know is the whole point. The more questions you ask, the clearer things will become—not because the answers magically appear, but because you’ll begin to understand yourself on a deeper level. When it comes to self-discovery, the questions are the journey, and the journey is what defines your existence.
So, take a page from Socrates’ book (if he’d actually written one), and start questioning everything. Your beliefs, your goals, that weird life advice your aunt gave you—it’s all fair game. Who knows? You might just discover that you’ve had the answers all along—you just needed to ask the right questions.