4/5 Protocol: the Five Questions

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The Five Questions is the fifth section of ZenTactics, but can be used along with the fourth section (the Four Domains) as a simplified protocol in and of itself.

[NOTE: It would be best to be well-acquainted with the Four Domains before moving on to the Five Questions.]

Assuming that we intend on developing ourselves 1. with a clear "why" in mind, and 2. in a balanced fashion- that is, according to the Four Domains-, we must be careful to chart our course with clarity. What that means is to always keep the goal in sight, to not deviate, to not allow ourselves to become distracted by trivialities. After all, most people fail for one of three reasons: Either they do not know what they want (they lack a "why"), or they fail to achieve efficiency (they remain unbalanced), or they fail to formulate a workable strategy (they allow themselves to quit, or to deviate from the path they have chosen). Another possibility, of course, is that they surround themselves with individuals that do not share their worldview- but this will not happen if they are clear on the other three points.

So let us assume we have a "why;" furthermore, let us assume we have a balanced approach, that allows us to maximize our effectiveness in achieving our goals. What now?

The Five Questions can help us to sustain focus and clarity so that we do not become distracted; the Five Questions are as follows:

• Who am I?
  
• What do I find meaningful?
  
• What goals give life a sense of fulfillment?
  
• What obstacles stand in the way of those goals?
  
• What must be done in order to overcome those obstacles?
  

We will consider each of these in turn, but must remember that our goal should always be to align all the aspects of our lives so that they all serve a singular purpose, which is the flourishing of each of us as individuals. The goal is lifestyle cohesion. Everything in the world today is fragmented; this results in us being torn in various directions simultaneously, which is not only exhausting but also a wildly ineffective environment for achieving success. We must consciously work against this trend in the modern world- towards simplicity and away from complexity.

Now...

• Who am I? A tiger is only a tiger when in the environment it was created for. If we take the tiger out to sea, it ceases to be powerful; likewise, if we bring a shark on land, it ceases to be dangerous. We each long for an environment in which we can utilize our particular skills, talents, qualities, and capacities. But in order to do this, we must achieve some degree of self-knowledge (remember the axiom: Gnothi Seuton, "know thyself"). This self-knowledge is the foundation of success because it orients us towards our meaning- and we must be honest with ourselves in order to achieve it.
  
• What do I find meaningful? A question of meaning must be founded on self-knowledge, as meaning is different from person to person. One person is very bright, and values truth above all- and so science might be their meaning; another person is very creative, and loves to make the world beautiful- and so art or even engineering might be their meaning. Whatever meaning one has is the right meaning for that individual, and should be the north star that guides their decisions all through life.
  
• What goals give life a sense of fulfillment? A goal must be meaningful in order to be achieved (otherwise, we quit through a lack of motivation). And therefore it is critical that we create goals that lead us towards a fuller sense of meaning, that are sufficient to answer the question of "why." The "why" provides the soul; the "how" provides the goal. Each goal should be a step on the path to meaning, but more tangible, and more practical- concrete as opposed to abstract.
  
• What obstacles stand in the way of those goals? Now we begin solving problems. The world is not our friend; it does not care what we want, or whether or not we get what we want. It has no desires at all; it is entirely indifferent to our hope for smooth sailing. And so we must always be prepared, looking all around us for snags, troubles, obstacles, and difficulties- and also forward into the future at what might be coming, to whatever extent this may be possible. We are not omniscient, and so we cannot see far- but at least we can try.
  
• What must be done in order to overcome those obstacles? These obstacles that we have discovered provide us with some notion of the territory we must wage war upon. Problem-solving requires an honest understanding not only of oneself and of what one brings to the table, but also of what might prevent us from achieving our goals. If we have searched out those obstacles effectively, we should be able to address them effectively as well. And although our plans may not be perfect, still we will be much further along than if we had not planned at all. Obviously, the question of how to overcome our obstacles must be answered individually, as each individual is different, as are his goals, skill-sets, blind-spots, and circumstances.
  

If we keep the Five Questions in mind, we should be able to remain focused on our objectives, which will result in better and more frequent success.

~ Joshua van Asakinda

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