--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best way to investigate a thing is to…" description: "\"“The best way to investigate a thing is to ask questions about it.”\" — William Walker Atkinson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/william-walker-atkinson-25491_ask-questions_the-best-way-to-investigate-a-thing-is-t_2971818.png" --- # The best way to investigate a thing is to ask questions… ![“The best way to investigate a thing is to ask questions about it.” quote by William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/william-walker-atkinson-25491_ask-questions_the-best-way-to-investigate-a-thing-is-t_2971818.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/william-walker-atkinson-25491_ask-questions_the-best-way-to-investigate-a-thing-is-t_2971818.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/william-walker-atkinson-25491_ask-questions_the-best-way-to-investigate-a-thing-is-t_2971818.png) > ““The best way to investigate a thing is to ask questions about it.”” [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding comes from questioning; inquiry reveals truth. **In simple terms:** Ask questions to understand. Key Takeaway Cultivate curiosity. Themes learning inquiry truth Mood curious analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - research - education - problem solving - personal growth Key Concepts critical thinking philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What question changed your view? - How to ask better questions? A Different Perspective Questions can lead to confusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ask questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-questions/) [Investigate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investigate/) [Investigate Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investigate-thing-4579557/) [Thing Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-ask-376615/) [Way Investigate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-investigate-4579558/) ## Related quotes > [When you ask for help listen. It's one thing to ask the question and it's another thing to listen to the answer. Many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/when-you-ask-for-help-listen-it-s-one-thing-to-ask-the-question-and/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The real thing you do is you ask a lot of questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-rabois/the-real-thing-you-do-is-you-ask-a-lot-of-questions/) [Keith Rabois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-rabois/) > [To be left alone is the most precious thing one can ask of the modern world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/to-be-left-alone-is-the-most-precious-thing-one-can-ask-of-the-modern/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [One thing leads to another? Not always. Sometimes one thing leads to the same thing. Ask an addict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/one-thing-leads-to-another-not-always-sometimes-one-thing-leads-to/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [One thing that I do ask myself when I'm in the creative process is, 'Does the world need this?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zorn/one-thing-that-i-do-ask-myself-when-i-m-in-the-creative-process-is/) [John Zorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zorn/) > [“Love seems like such a simple thing to ask for. Such a basic right. It takes no skill, no experience, no money, no education,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-harbison/love-seems-like-such-a-simple-thing-to-ask-for-such-a-basic-right-it/) [Beth Harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-harbison/) > [What's the best part of a movie? I love to know what my name is. It's just so fun. That's the first thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-fanning/what-s-the-best-part-of-a-movie-i-love-to-know-what-my-name-is-it-s/) [Elle Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-fanning/) > [“The Jewish Question? Thats a hell of a thing to ask!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-jewish-question-thats-a-hell-of-a-thing-to-ask/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [“Isn’t there one thing I can ask of you that you won’t disregard?. . . . You could just reply, "Yes, Baron," and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/isn-t-there-one-thing-i-can-ask-of-you-that-you-won-t-disregard-you/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [...a miracles is a reasonable thing to ask for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/a-miracles-is-a-reasonable-thing-to-ask-for/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Today's the day you can ask me for anything you want? That fancy new dress, those dashing heels, that jazzy phone or those tickets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-s-the-day-you-can-ask-me-for-anything-you-want-that-fancy-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only thing I ask in a boy is to be himself. I love boys who can be themselves.. Because if they are being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/the-only-thing-i-ask-in-a-boy-is-to-be-himself-i-love-boys-who-can-be/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [“The worst thing you could ever ask is "What could possibly go wrong?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faye-morgan/the-worst-thing-you-could-ever-ask-is-what-could-possibly-go-wrong/) [Faye Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faye-morgan/) > [The first thing to ask when writing a sentence is 'What am I trying to do?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-fish/the-first-thing-to-ask-when-writing-a-sentence-is-what-am-i-trying-to/) [Stanley Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-fish/) ## More by William Walker Atkinson > [Prana (life energy) colored by the tought of the sender may be projected to persons at a distance, who are willing to receive it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/prana-life-energy-colored-by-the-tought-of-the-sender-may-be/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [Put forth the necessary concentrated effort and you will be wonderfully helped form sources unknown to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/put-forth-the-necessary-concentrated-effort-and-you-will-be/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [“That which is the Real Self of Man is the Divine Spark sent forth from the Sacred Flame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/that-which-is-the-real-self-of-man-is-the-divine-spark-sent-forth/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [“in nothing else is he rich; in nothing else is he poor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/in-nothing-else-is-he-rich-in-nothing-else-is-he-poor/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [The use of the Will as the projector of Mentative Currents is the real base of all Mental Magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/the-use-of-the-will-as-the-projector-of-mentative-currents-is-the/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [Thought is a force - a manifestation of energy - having a magnet-like power of attraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/thought-is-a-force-a-manifestation-of-energy-having-a-magnet-like/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [The presence of an active, energetic, successful man, or set of men, in a place, will permeate the place with positive vibrations that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/the-presence-of-an-active-energetic-successful-man-or-set-of-men-in-a/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [“Proof! We don’t need proof! Tell the public a thing solemnly, and authoritatively, and repeat it sufficiently often, and you will never need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/proof-we-don-t-need-proof-tell-the-public-a-thing-solemnly-and/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [Study yourself. Find your strong points and make them stronger as well as your weak ones and strengthen them. Study yourself carefully and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/study-yourself-find-your-strong-points-and-make-them-stronger-as-well/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [Imagination is the first step in creation whether in words or trifles. The mental pattern must always precede the material form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/imagination-is-the-first-step-in-creation-whether-in-words-or-trifles/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [If you are not satisfied with what is coming to you, start to work and change your mental attitude and mental states, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/if-you-are-not-satisfied-with-what-is-coming-to-you-start-to-work-and/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [A mental image gives you a framework upon which to work. It is like the drawing of the architect, or the map of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/a-mental-image-gives-you-a-framework-upon-which-to-work-it-is-like/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [We are sending out thoughts of greater or less intensity all the time, and we are reaping the results of such thoughts. Not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/we-are-sending-out-thoughts-of-greater-or-less-intensity-all-the-time/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [The best way to overcome undesirable or negative thoughts and feelings is to cultivate the positive ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/the-best-way-to-overcome-undesirable-or-negative-thoughts-and/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [Worry is the child of Fear -- if you kill out Fear, Worry will die for want of nourishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/worry-is-the-child-of-fear-if-you-kill-out-fear-worry-will-die-for/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) [Explore all 23 William Walker Atkinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) ## More Ask questions quotes > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) > [I was allowed to believe things that weren't true and I would ask questions about them and talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/i-was-allowed-to-believe-things-that-weren-t-true-and-i-would-ask/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [What makes us human, I think, is an ability to ask questions, a consequence of our sophisticated spoken language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-makes-us-human-i-think-is-an-ability-to-ask-questions-a/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“you do that all the time you know. you ask me questions when you know the answer will piss you off. ask me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-do-that-all-the-time-you-know-you-ask-me-questions-when-you-know/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I feel really strongly about not wanting to overly guide the reader about what he or she should think. I really trust the reader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/i-feel-really-strongly-about-not-wanting-to-overly-guide-the-reader/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [For the most part, if somebody approaches me and says, 'I'd like to interview you,' who am I to say no, when I spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/for-the-most-part-if-somebody-approaches-me-and-says-i-d-like-to/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [...all the answers are but waiting for us while we, poor fools, ask questions and wait for the secrets of God to open themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-asad/all-the-answers-are-but-waiting-for-us-while-we-poor-fools-ask/) [Muhammad Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-asad/) > [“It’s funny how the devout pretend like they want people to ask questions, but really they only want you to ask the questions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tal-m-klein/it-s-funny-how-the-devout-pretend-like-they-want-people-to-ask/) [Tal M. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tal-m-klein/) > [“This was a success in itself, but it came with an added and unexpected benefit: The act of thinking about the problem and responding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/this-was-a-success-in-itself-but-it-came-with-an-added-and-unexpected/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [I feel like a good director provokes you to ask questions about your character, but doesn't answer them for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-reed/i-feel-like-a-good-director-provokes-you-to-ask-questions-about-your/) [Crystal Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-reed/) > [“You ask questions. You take your life seriously, but you don't take yourself too seriously. You're going to take over the world, and change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/you-ask-questions-you-take-your-life-seriously-but-you-don-t-take/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [The most subversive people are those who ask questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-most-subversive-people-are-those-who-ask-questions/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [Rules for texting a girl: 1. Don't take 40 minutes to reply. 2. Use good grammar. 3. Ask Questions. 4. Use the :) face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rules-for-texting-a-girl-1-don-t-take-40-minutes-to-reply-2-use-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 828 Ask questions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-questions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The best way to investigate a thing is to ask questions about it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Walker Atkinson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/the-best-way-to-investigate-a-thing-is-to-ask-questions-about-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ask questions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/the-best-way-to-investigate-a-thing-is-to-ask-questions-about-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/william-walker-atkinson-25491_ask-questions_the-best-way-to-investigate-a-thing-is-t_2971818.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/william-walker-atkinson-25491_ask-questions_the-best-way-to-investigate-a-thing-is-t_2971818.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/william-walker-atkinson-25491_ask-questions_the-best-way-to-investigate-a-thing-is-t_2971818.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The best way to investigate a thing is to ask questions about it.” — William Walker Atkinson", "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": "William Walker Atkinson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The best way to investigate a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/the-best-way-to-investigate-a-thing-is-to-ask-questions-about-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/the-best-way-to-investigate-a-thing-is-to-ask-questions-about-it/#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 } } ] } ```