Over this last weekend I was introduced to a new question I've been asking to people i am meeting and old friends. It catches people off guard and usually stops them in their tracks and makes them think. I was first asked this question by a girl I met the first night of Shambhala Music Festival in Salmo, BC.
Unfortunately I can't remember her name, but I met her while drinking some water in the garden area at the center of shambhala's downtown area. I started chatting with her and some of her friends and she asked me. "okay, really quick" she said with a sudden seriousness, "What are you best at?". I looked at her and thought... I don't think anyone has ever asked me a question like that.
"Come on, come on. Just the first thing you think of!" she told me as i searched my brain for an answer.
"I would have to say, Snowboarding." I finally came to the conclusion of "Its probably the activity I've put the most time and energy towards in my life".
"Thats awesome!" she exclaimed "I've been asking people that since I got here and its a great way to learn more about people!"
So we talked about how I got into snowboarding and why and how I always snowboard with my Dad and best friends. It really did start an awesome conversation! So I adopted it and started asking people I talked to over the weekend.
Try it some time, it will stop people in their tracks. I asked quite a few people and most people answer completely different, for most people they think a little deeper. One person told me "making my friends smile", great answer! One person told me "taking care of my wife and kids" another great answer.
Another variation I eventually started was asking who they were with about their friends "what is he best at?" then you really get to see how that person sees the other person and it takes them off the spot of having to answer. Then you reverse it... "okay, what is she best at" I don't think I ever heard the same answer twice of all the people I asked.
Now, I want to know, can this question be asked in regular life? Does it only work at a hippy enfused, dream-like environment of a place like Shambhala Music Festival? I asked an old friend this morning, and he said he would have to get back to me. He said "noone has ever asked me that".
So there's the challenge, I'm going to do it and I would love to here anyone's results. Ask someone you know, or someone you just met. "What are you best at?" see what they say. You might learn something about that person you never knew. Then switch it up the next time and ask a friend about their significant other, "what is he/she best at?" I guarantee you if nothing else it makes them stop and think.
Every year I take something away from Shambhala, and if this year this is what I got, I'm okay with that.
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