I wanted to share one of my favourite ideas from a conversation between Derek Sivers and Tim Ferriss. I find myself talking about it with clients surprisingly often.

The Mentors Who Don't Know You Exist

Derek has a genius approach whenever he's stuck on a decision and would benefit from a mentor's advice.

Sometimes his mentors are people he knows, but humorously, sometimes they don't actually know him. They're simply people whose thinking he respects. They might not even still be alive.

Instead of immediately emailing or phoning someone, he writes down:

• What the problem is and any relevant context.

• The options he's considering and what he's already tried.

• What he thinks each mentor would ask him and how he would answer those questions.

What's genius is that by the time he's finished writing all of that, he rarely needs to actually send the email because he's figured out the answer.

The process of organising his thoughts and anticipating the questions someone wise would ask usually gives him the clarity he was looking for.

I think it's brilliant.

I've done something similar when I'm about to ask a question in a Facebook group, like the Xero or MYOB Partners groups.

I'll type out my question with all the points above to ensure I'm giving the full picture, and so many times, I don't even post because the act of writing it all down has clarified my thinking and I've thought of a solution that I hadn't considered before.

Better Thinking Beats Better Answers

So often we're looking for someone else to give us the answer, when what we really need is better thinking.

Imagine your wisest mentor reading what you've written.

What questions would they ask?

How would you answer them?

You might be surprised how often you already know the answer.

What This Looks Like in Coaching

I see this with bookkeepers all the time.

They'll ask me a question, and as I ask a few follow-up questions, they'll often stop halfway through and say, "Actually... I think I know what I need to do."

Quite often, they don't need me to give them the answer. They need someone to help them think more clearly.

One of the things I've learnt over the years is that good coaching isn't about having all the answers.

It's about asking thoughtful questions that help people see their own business differently.

That's why so many coaching conversations don't end with me telling someone exactly what to do. They end with a client saying, "I hadn't thought about it like that."

For me, that's where the real value of coaching lies.

Try It Yourself

The next time you're facing a difficult business decision, resist the temptation to immediately ask someone else what they think.

Instead, spend ten minutes writing down:

• What problem are you trying to solve?

• What options are you considering?

• What have you already tried?

• What important context does someone else need to understand?

• What three questions would your wisest mentor ask you?

• How would you answer those questions?

You may still decide to ask for advice afterwards.

But if you're anything like Derek—or me—you might discover you've already uncovered the answer yourself.

Watch the Conversation

If you're curious, here's the conversation between Derek Sivers and Tim Ferriss. It's well worth watching.

Ready for Some Better Questions?

If you've been wrestling with a business decision, feeling stuck, or wondering what your next step should be, perhaps it's time for a conversation.

A Bookkeeper Breakthrough Session isn't about me telling you what to do.

It's about helping you gain clarity, uncover what's really holding you back, and identify the next step that will make the biggest difference to your business.

Sometimes the breakthrough isn't a new strategy.

Sometimes it's simply having someone ask the question that changes the way you see the problem.

If that sounds like what you need, I'd love to chat.

Book your complimentary Bookkeeper Breakthrough Session today.

 👉Book your free Bookkeeper Breakthrough Session here.

Stephanie Crawford

Award Winning Bookkeeping Business Coach