Unpopular opinion: Asking 'why' is way better than just asking 'how'

I was helping a friend set up a website and for weeks he just kept asking me 'how' to do every single step. Last Tuesday, I made him stop and explain 'why' he wanted a contact form in the first place. Turns out he just needed an email link. Asking 'why' first cut his work in half and solved the real problem. When you just ask 'how', you might be fixing the wrong thing. Do you start with 'why' or do you jump straight to the steps?

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3 Comments

olivia_webb6mo ago

Wasn't there a whole TED talk about this? Honestly, starting with 'why' stops you from wasting a ton of time. You end up solving the actual problem instead of just following steps.

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oliver_ward145mo ago

Wait, you actually watched a TED talk? I thought everyone just read the titles.

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anna_hill6mo ago

Tbh that talk changed how I work. It's so easy to just do stuff without asking why first.

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