I am always experimenting with the best questions to ask myself or to ask during early-morning prayer or meditation: questions that provoke thought, questions that stimulate me to focus on my best efforts, questions that remind me of what is important. I have learned that the best combination of questions focuses on achievement and contribution. Currently, the two questions I like to ask myself every morning are:
“What should I be doing with this day?” and "What can I do for someone else today?"
Science has not yet determined whether God hears prayer. That’s a theological question, not an experimental one. But psychology can study some of the consequences associated with prayer, spirituality, purpose, and meaning. Research has repeatedly found associations between meaning or purpose in life and psychological and physical well-being. Prayer and contemplation seem to achieve this better than any other way that I have tried.
By asking what I should be doing, I focus my soul on the purpose and meaning that I am trying to achieve. It gives me hope that I might make measurable progress toward what I am trying to accomplish in life, and when I couple that with the faith that the supreme creator of the universe will help me, well, that is a great way to start the day.
However, all ambition, a selfish focus on achievement, is not a great formula for success. I have learned that you need to keep ambition in check but also feel that, in some small way, you are contributing. This combination of focusing on achievement and contribution has been a great anti-anxiety recipe for me. At least at the end of each day, I feel like I tried to make progress, and I also tried to help someone along the way.
Success isn’t defined entirely around your own advancement. There seems to be, in psychology studies that I have read on the subject, a remarkable difference between feeling good and living well. The gap seems to be filled by finding meaning and purpose in life, and a key ingredient to that is to lend aid to others or provide some aid to your community.
So, maybe the real magic isn’t just in ticking off boxes or chasing big dreams, but in consistently showing up, asking those deeper questions, and letting the answers guide you. It’s about finding that sweet spot where your own growth intertwines with making a difference for someone else. It’s a journey, not a destination, and every morning offers a fresh chance to lean into it a little more.
