What’s your beautiful question?
A beautiful question is “a question that is hard (and interesting) enough that it is worth answering—and easy enough that one can actually answer it.”
See how our Chief Design Officer, Matthew Muñoz, uses questions to define the year ahead (and check out this presentation he gave to a group of designers in Virginia in early 2013).
Creating the theme of each year is a sacred thing to me. I find it meaningful and more useful than a one time resolution. A way to keep my intention top of mind — an inquiry that lasts 365 days. Forging the theme arises from a few questions: What ideas are constantly on my mind? Where do I want to go? What am I tired of messing with (will this to-do system work already)?
2015 is the Year of Integration, and behind that theme is a series of questions, namely: How do I integrate the many threads of living and working that interest me — into the rhythm of one day? Further — What are the rituals, habits, and ways of thinking that best serve my purpose and the larger purpose of New Kind?
This year is about finding the common ground of my own life — clarifying my personal purpose to be of great service to those around me. To draw sharper lines with the ideas and projects that serve my intent, and to be able to see those that are worthy but outside of it.
Like you — I have a number of various threads to focus on: community service projects, the various dimensions of New Kind, the creation of a new ballet studio called Tutu School with my wife Lara, not to mention home projects, nurturing relationships with my family and friends and connections. It would be easy to say that those are all different, but obviously – I’m the common thread. So I’m asking: Will I do anything better by finding the common ground among those “separate” areas?
What I’ve learned so far has been really useful! For example, I have project planning for personal stuff, for Tutu School, for New Kind, for community service — let’s do that all at once. I get into the mindset of milestones, and what’s coming up — across all of the threads — and work to see them all at once. This gives me a complete picture of what’s coming up.
Another study — working through the financial operations of my family, of New Kind, of Tutu School all at once. Having daily and weekly time to review them together keeps me focused on them, building my literacy for running operations in each area — uncovering how they are alike and different. A way to have less parts and more synthesis.
These tiny experiments are showing me some new ways of organizing my efforts — and I expect this year to be filled with a great deal of excitement and learning through these integration experiments. Already I see that these actions free up more space to focus on those around me, and less on myself. A trend that I hope continues in 2015.
Do you have a beautiful question? So much of our inspiration comes from our community, so we’d love to hear your thoughts. Share with us @newkind.