--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Asking a question is the simplest way of…" description: "\"Asking a question is the simplest way of focusing thinking...asking the right question may be the most important part of thinking.\" — Edward de Bono" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39d/edward-de-bono-2489_answer_asking-a-question-is-the-simplest-way-of_3214376.png" --- # Asking a question is the simplest way of focusing… ![“Asking a question is the simplest way of focusing thinking...asking the right question may be the most important part of thinking.” quote by Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39d/edward-de-bono-2489_answer_asking-a-question-is-the-simplest-way-of_3214376.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39d/edward-de-bono-2489_answer_asking-a-question-is-the-simplest-way-of_3214376.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39d/edward-de-bono-2489_answer_asking-a-question-is-the-simplest-way-of_3214376.png) > “Asking a question is the simplest way of focusing thinking...asking the right question may be the most important part of thinking.” [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poses that asking the right question is central to effective thinking. **In simple terms:** Good questions drive good thinking. Key Takeaway Ask precise questions to focus thought. Themes thinking questioning problem solving Mood inquisitive motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - business strategy - personal development Key Concepts cognitive focus critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What question would clarify your current problem? - How can you train yourself to ask better questions? A Different Perspective Finding the right question can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asking a question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-a-question/) [Asking the right questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-the-right-questions/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Right questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-questions/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Truth Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seeking/) ## Related quotes > [Without your data, Google couldn't pursue the dream of trying to figure out what you're really thinking when you're asking a question, of trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/without-your-data-google-couldn-t-pursue-the-dream-of-trying-to/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [Half of science is asking the right questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/half-of-science-is-asking-the-right-questions/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [In a way, I think religion is to be admired for asking the right questions. I just think it's got the wrong answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/in-a-way-i-think-religion-is-to-be-admired-for-asking-the-right/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [a good part of the trick to being a first-rate scientist is in asking the right questions or asking them in ways that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-roe/a-good-part-of-the-trick-to-being-a-first-rate-scientist-is-in-asking/) [Anne Roe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-roe/) > [I cannot expect even my own art to provide all of the answers, only to hope it keeps asking the right questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-hartigan/i-cannot-expect-even-my-own-art-to-provide-all-of-the-answers-only-to/) [Grace Hartigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-hartigan/) > [Asking the right questions is as important as answering them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benoit-mandelbrot/asking-the-right-questions-is-as-important-as-answering-them/) [Benoit Mandelbrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benoit-mandelbrot/) > [Philosophy may be defined as the art of asking the right question...awareness of the problem outlives all solutions. The answers are questions in disguise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/philosophy-may-be-defined-as-the-art-of-asking-the-right-question/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [“Thinking is no more or no less than asking questions. To improve your thinking, improve the quality of the questions you ask.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mbida/thinking-is-no-more-or-no-less-than-asking-questions-to-improve-your/) [Stephanie Mbida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mbida/) > [Always strive to find out what to do by thinking, without asking anybody. If you continually do this, you will soon act like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/always-strive-to-find-out-what-to-do-by-thinking-without-asking/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [If you ask a living teacher a question, he will probably answer you. If you are puzzled by what he says, you can save…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-ask-a-living-teacher-a-question-he-will-probably-answer-you-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She knew what he was thinking: if she was asking questions like these, she was trying to understand. Trying to forgive him. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/she-knew-what-he-was-thinking-if-she-was-asking-questions-like-these/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [Today I believe that man cannot escape his destiny to create whatever it is we make - jazz, a wooden spoon, or graffiti on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/today-i-believe-that-man-cannot-escape-his-destiny-to-create-whatever/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [Science is meaningless because it gives no answer to our question, the only question important for us: 'What shall we do and how shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/science-is-meaningless-because-it-gives-no-answer-to-our-question-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To date or not to date that is the question. It's almost as important as Shakespeare's to be or not to be which deals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-goldstein/to-date-or-not-to-date-that-is-the-question-it-s-almost-as-important/) [Al Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-goldstein/) > [Is it music? ... This is not the important question. The important question is, is it interesting?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-applebaum/is-it-music-this-is-not-the-important-question-the-important-question/) Mark Applebaum ## More by Edward de Bono > [We still seek to solve conflicts with 'judgement' instead of designing the way forwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/we-still-seek-to-solve-conflicts-with-judgement-instead-of-designing/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Traditional thinking is all about "what is" Future thinking will also need to be about what can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/traditional-thinking-is-all-about-what-is-future-thinking-will-also/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [“In 80% of Socrates' dialogues there was no constructive outcome. He saw his role as simply pointing out what was "wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/in-80-of-socrates-dialogues-there-was-no-constructive-outcome-he-saw/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [The music that really turns me on is either running toward God or away from God. Both recognize the pivot, that God is at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-music-that-really-turns-me-on-is-either-running-toward-god-or/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [People should realize we're jerks just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/people-should-realize-we-re-jerks-just-like-them/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [The effective thinker treats arrogance as the major sin of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-effective-thinker-treats-arrogance-as-the-major-sin-of-thinking/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [To be successful you have to be lucky, or a little mad, or very talented, or find yourself in a rapid growth field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/to-be-successful-you-have-to-be-lucky-or-a-little-mad-or-very/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Argument is meant to reveal the truth, not to create it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/argument-is-meant-to-reveal-the-truth-not-to-create-it/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Complexity creates confusion, simplicity focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/complexity-creates-confusion-simplicity-focus/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [The weapons of the positive revolution are not bullets and bombs but simple human perceptions. 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In a similar way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/in-real-life-situations-apparently-logical-lines-of-argument-are/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [An expert is someone who has succeeded in making decisions and judgements simpler through knowing what to pay attention to and what to ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/an-expert-is-someone-who-has-succeeded-in-making-decisions-and/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [It wouldn't cost too much to change the rules of trade so that poor countries can work their way out of poverty. 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It is better to have enough ideas for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-need-to-be-right-all-the-time-is-the-biggest-bar-to-new-ideas-it/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) [Explore all 161 Edward de Bono quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) ## More Answer quotes > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) > [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [“And if you can’t say yes, answer anyway. Because I’d rather live with the answer than die with the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ellis/and-if-you-can-t-say-yes-answer-anyway-because-i-d-rather-live-with/) Jon Ellis > [“There is a cure and answer to everything, we just haven't found them yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-halimi/there-is-a-cure-and-answer-to-everything-we-just-haven-t-found-them/) [Eve Halimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-halimi/) > [Whenever I'm asked about Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I always answer: 'Neymar is the best,' not just because of his goals but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/whenever-i-m-asked-about-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi-i-always/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [“Those are good questions. I recognize good questions, because I can come up with them myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/those-are-good-questions-i-recognize-good-questions-because-i-can/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'll answer anything... I'm brutally honest, actually, which gets me in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-ll-answer-anything-i-m-brutally-honest-actually-which-gets-me-in/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [“...I guess I can put two and two together." "Sometimes the answer's four," I said, "and sometimes it's twenty-two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-guess-i-can-put-two-and-two-together-sometimes-the-answer-s-four-i/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Jumping someone is never the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jumping-someone-is-never-the-answer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I play along myself, even though I can't help the player. So I can't say what I think the answer might be. But I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-mcguinness/i-play-along-myself-even-though-i-can-t-help-the-player-so-i-can-t/) [Paddy McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-mcguinness/) > [Sometimes the question is complicated, but the answers are simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-suess/sometimes-the-question-is-complicated-but-the-answers-are-simple/) [Dr Suess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-suess/) Browse all 2,090 Answer quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Asking a question is the simplest way of focusing thinking...asking the right question may be the most important part of thinking.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward de Bono" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/asking-a-question-is-the-simplest-way-of-focusing-thinking-asking-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/asking-a-question-is-the-simplest-way-of-focusing-thinking-asking-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39d/edward-de-bono-2489_answer_asking-a-question-is-the-simplest-way-of_3214376.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39d/edward-de-bono-2489_answer_asking-a-question-is-the-simplest-way-of_3214376.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39d/edward-de-bono-2489_answer_asking-a-question-is-the-simplest-way-of_3214376.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Asking a question is the simplest way of focusing thinking...asking the right question may be the most…” — Edward de Bono", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edward de Bono", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Asking a question is the simplest...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/asking-a-question-is-the-simplest-way-of-focusing-thinking-asking-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/asking-a-question-is-the-simplest-way-of-focusing-thinking-asking-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```