From his essay, How to Do Great Work.

The entire essay is noteworthy, but this small section of quotes made me look at questions in a new way.

#1 – Really good questions are partial discoveries:

One of the biggest misconceptions about new ideas is about the ratio of question to answer in their composition. People think big ideas are answers, but often the real insight was in the question.

Part of the reason we underrate questions is the way they’re used in schools. In schools they tend to exist only briefly before being answered, like unstable particles. But a really good question is a partial discovery. How do new species arise? Is the force that makes objects fall to earth the same as the one that keeps planets in their orbits? By even asking such questions you were already in excitingly novel territory.

#2 – Revisit the questions from your youth.

Do you remember yours?

People talk a lot about the importance of keeping your youthful dreams alive, but it’s just as important to keep your youthful questions alive.

#3 – After answers, more questions.

This excerpt reminds me of the Haitian proverb, after the mountain, more mountains.

It’s a great thing to be rich in unanswered questions. And this is one of those situations where the rich get richer, because the best way to acquire new questions is to try answering existing ones. Questions don’t just lead to answers, but also to more questions.

Graham, Paul. “How to Do Great Work.” Paul Graham, 2023. http://paulgraham.com/greatwork.html. Accessed 3 July 2023.