Mentoring Questions
Fred often used thought-provoking questions in the mentoring process. Use these questions to shape and strengthen your own thinking about your life. Click on a question to read Fred's own response.
Select a Category:
General
- Am I a "today" or "tomorrow" person?
- Am I a better starter than a finisher?
- Am I a continual or selective learner?
- Am I a critic or a coach?
- Am I able to develop others? In what ways?
- Am I able to reasonably delay gratification?
- Am I an encourager?
- Am I basically optimistic, pessimistic, realistic?
- Am I called or driven – challenged or threatened?
- Am I comfortable alone?
- Am I conscious of the uniqueness of each period in my life?
- Am I content with who I am becoming?
- Am I content with who I am becoming?
- Am I doing anything today that I will regret tomorrow?
- Am I grateful? To whom and how is it demonstrated?
- Am I happy with the way I am doing my work?
- Am I more efficient or effective (orderliness v. organized)
- Am I on schedule to finish well?
- Am I pleased with myself when I discover the mistakes of others?
- Am I preaching anything that I am not living?
- Am I realistic about the current reality?
- Am I waiting to do something special in life? What would it be?
- Am I willing to share credit easily?
- Are my associations well rounded or do I have areas that need supplementation?
- Are my compliments memorable?
- Are periodic inventories of my life: finances, relationships, growth, family, etc a practice?
- At what level does my greed kick in?
- Can I accept and give love easily?
- Can I accept truth from anyone?
- Can I define my philosophy of life?
- Can I follow as well as lead --- in what areas?
- Can I spend long periods of time with myself without becoming neurotic?
- Do I accent my rights more than my responsibilities?
- Do I basically motivate or manipulate people?
- Do I believe that human nature is basically good or evil?
- Do I build a network of like minds and interests?
- Do I care in certain areas more than others?
- Do I chiefly learn by reading or by hearing?
- Do I choose or absorb my attitude?
- Do I demand theological closure or am I comfortable with ambiguity?
- Do I depend too much on cliches?
- Do I drag experiences of the past into the future?
- Do I enjoy what I am doing?
- Do I ever justify lying?
- Do I expect more perfection from others than from myself?
- Do I generate hostility and conflict unnecessarily?
- Do I give money easily? What percent of my gross income?
- Do I have a "think" list?
- Do I have a friendly critic and what are their qualifications and responsibilities?
- Do I have a good relationship with my parents, particularly men/father and women/mother?
- Do I have a healthy sense of humor?
- Do I have a high need for approval?
- Do I have a prayer list?
- Do I have a tendency to transfer responsibility for my mistakes?
- Do I have an obsession that takes precedence over reason?
- Do I have hopes of simplifying my life? How?
- Do I hold any grudges?
- Do I humanize God?
- Do I keep confidences?
- Do I know basic principles for living?
- Do I know how to use bad experiences?
- Do I know how to use my subconscious?
- Do I know the difference between grapevine and gossip?
- Do I laugh at myself easier than I laugh at others?
- Do I lean toward classicism or modernism?
- Do I listen as well as I talk?
- Do I live an "examined" life?
- Do I live by responsibility or feeling?
- Do I love myself or respect myself ---- both or neither?
- Do I make good decisions? In all areas, or specific ones?
- Do I make hobbies a substitute for accomplishment?
- Do I minimize sin?
- Do I naturally tend toward good or evil?
- Do I play favorites among my children?
- Do I play God by punishing myself or others?
- Do I pray to change me or to change God?
- Do I prefer using persuasion over fear?
- Do I properly differentiate between problems and facts of life?
- Do I properly separate spirituality from superstition?
- Do I put people in my life who personify desirable traits?
- Do I really believe in heaven and hell?
- Do I really believe that God loves me?
- Do I really believe that there is good in every bad experience?
- Do I really like myself?
- Do I respect tradition or change as a way of life?
- Do I review my habits and update their necessity and utility?
- Do I say "no" well?
- Do I see the essence of matters, problems and activities or do I get hung up in the periphery?
- Do I stifle my emotions too much?
- Do I take myself too seriously?
- Do I think mainly in techniques or principles --- ideas or concrete proposals?
- Do my friends see me as a giver or as a taker?
- Do my friendships change with my current conditions?
- Do others ask my advice? On what subjects?
- Do others see me as I see myself?
- Does eternity influence my decisions?
- Does my family respect me as much or more than they love me?
- Have I a fault or sin that I have accepted in my life?
- Have I defined my non-negotiables: self-respect, health, family, relationship with God, for example?
- Have I generally accepted who I am?
- Have I reconciled faith and knowledge?
- How am I a role model for my children?
- How am I contributing to the common good?
- How am I improving my environment?
- How am I increasing my vocabulary?
- How am I planning a good transition into old age?
- How am I rationalizing my mistakes?
- How are questions valuable?
- How big is my God?
- How can I control/adjust my rhythm and pace?
- How can I improve my communication skills?
- How did I pick my role model?
- How do ethics impact winning and losing?
- How do I constructively use small bits of time?
- How do I control my anger?
- How do I decide who I spend time with?
- How do I define "better?"
- How do I define accomplishment?
- How do I define good?
- How do I define integrity?
- How do I define love?
- How do I define my strength?
- How do I define my uniqueness?
- How do I define personal success?
- How do I define self-discipline?
- How do I define when enough is enough?
- How do I define winning and losing: by results or principles?
- How do I discipline my finances?
- How do I experience a personal relationship with Christ?
- How do I express my ego?
- How do I handle confrontation: comfortably or not until the pressure builds?
- How do I keep my mind active?
- How do I make conversation meaningful?
- How do I manage the ups and downs of life?
- How do I measure meaning in life?
- How do I mesh the sacred and the secular in my life?
- How do I pick my friends?
- How do I promote good, constructive criticism?
- How do I respond to criticism?
- How do I set priorities
- How do I spend my time – do I have guidelines for spending time?
- How do I stay current in my thinking?
- How do I try to control others?
- How do I use small bits of time?
- How do know that I am loved by God?
- How do my friends, family and associates describe me?
- How do you decide if you are "values oriented?"
- How do you decide when enough is enough?
- How do you select your friends?
- How does my belief in heaven and hell affect my relationships with others?
- How does my faith impact my life?
- How does my family know that I love them?
- How have I come to grips with death?
- How have I tried to improve my personality?
- How is God using me?
- How many longtime friendships have I maintained?
- How many people see me as two different people?
- How many specific areas of responsibility are in my life? (e.g church, family, business, community, friends, charity, ministry organizations, etc)
- How much change am I comfortable with and in what areas?
- How much does advertising influence me?
- How strong is my belief and realization of cause and effect?
- How strong is my will to win?
- How would I change my attitude?
- How would I define my present lifestyle?
- How would I define the one I would like to have?
- If I were an animal what would I be?
- If needed, how would you reduce your standard of living?
- In what areas do I have recurring relapses?
- In what areas of my life do I sense stewardship and which ownership?
- In what ways am I conservative?
- In what ways am I legalistic?
- In what ways do I extend more grace to myself than to others?
- In what ways does life challenge me?
- In what ways does my arrogance offend others?
- Is money my first priority?
- Is my best impression made quickly or over a long period?
- Is my emotional life friendly to my immune system?
- Is my walk with God more comfortable, more intimate and more real?
- Is procrastination a problem for me?
- Is stress healthy or unhealthy?
- Is success costing me too much?
- Is the Bible a "guideline" or an "authority"?
- Is the difficulty I face making me bitter or better?
- Is there any good thing I claim to be that I really don’t want to be?
- Is work my sickness or my cure?
- On what topics am I closed minded?
- To whom am I really accountable: their authority, their punishment, their areas?
- What 3 individuals have influenced me the most?
- What 3 memories do I enjoy the most?
- What actions do I base on faith?
- What am I contributing to the common good?
- What am I currently doing to develop myself in all areas?
- What am I doing to grow older without growing old?
- What am I doing to plan for old age?
- What am I waiting for or is it a habit?
- What are five well-defined values? Does my behavior square with these?
- What are my abilities?
- What are my allergies (things that turn me off): emotionally, mentally, spiritually, physically?
- What are my fantasies and how do they affect or conflict with reality?
- What are my forms of healthy recreation?
- What are my major/minor causes?
- What are my most pleasant memories; the most painful? Were these things that I did or were they done to me?
- What are my recurring mistakes that may be building into habits – even reflexes?
- What are my sources of inspiration, motivation, information?
- What are the 5 most influential comments made to me?
- What are the areas that peer pressure influences me the most?
- What are the five most important things that I have learned in life?
- What are the repetitive themes in my life?
- What are your life themes?
- What areas am I most disciplined in?
- What areas of study am I following?
- What blessing am I passing on?
- What books am I reading?
- What can I concentrate on at length?
- What changes in me do friends mention?
- What changes will I make in our culture?
- What changes would I make if I could live my life over?
- What compliment do I get most often?
- What compliment have I appreciated most?
- What concepts do I understand the best?
- What contribution and residue do I want to leave?
- What creates energy and excitement?
- What criticism do I receive most often?
- What damaging habit am I trying to break?
- What depresses me – for how long and what escapes do I have?
- What depresses me?
- What destructive weakness do I have and how am I trying to buttress against it?
- What dissipates energy?
- What do I consider my "thorn in the flesh?"
- What do I consider proper bragging?
- What do I consider the core of my life?
- What do I do to be liked?
- What do I do to promote family harmony?
- What do I expect from a pet?
- What do I learn and retain easily?
- What do I look for in a role model?
- What do I look for in reading?
- What do I really care about in life?
- What do I regret not having done in the past? What will I regret five years from now I don’t do it?
- What do I spend or do to impress others?
- What do I think I will do after I retire?
- What do I want on my tombstone? In my obituary?
- What do others ask me to do?
- What do people say about me (good and bad)?
- What do you do to be a good citizen?
- What does TV contribute to your life?
- What elements of shallowness do you see in your life?
- What elements of your legacy are you promoting?
- What encouragement am I giving others?
- What exercise do I consistently do?
- What experiences in my past still affect me?
- What favor have I done without expecting return?
- What feeling must I avoid?
- What gifts did I receive from my parents?
- What good causes am I giving to?
- What good traits do my models personify?
- What good traits have I inherited?
- What habit would I like to break?
- What habit would I like to break?
- What hurtful prejudices do I have?
- What idea have I differed with lately?
- What image do I want to project and is the image the same as the reality?
- What imaginary recurring worries do I have?
- What improvement have I made in my appearance?
- What interests would I like to develop?
- What intimidates me?
- What irritates me?
- What is my basic reaction to change?
- What is my best escape from boredom?
- What is my comfortable social strata?
- What is my genuine sustained passion?
- What is my greatest challenge in life?
- What is my greatest encouragement?
- What is my most productive mood?
- What is the condition of my sense of humor?
- What is the degree of my competency?
- What is the difference between a healthy and an unhealthy ego?
- What is the last new year's resolution that you have kept?
- What is the one word that I wished described me?
- What is the place of hobbies and recreation?
- What keeps me from being what I want to be?
- What kind of power do I enjoy and utilize?
- What makes life worthwhile?
- What makes me feel secure?
- What makes me happy?
- What makes me thankful to be alive?
- What matters equally touch my head/heart?
- What mixture of reading do you find helpful?
- What necessary disciplines do I have or lack: mental, emotional, spiritual, physical?
- What new ideas am I thinking about?
- What one change would I like to make in my life?
- What one question would I like to ask God?
- What opportunities can be created?
- What percent of my potential am I using?
- What point of brilliance do I have that get favorable attention?
- What problems do I enjoy solving?
- What problems have my ego caused?
- What psychological barriers have I permitted to survive?
- What quotes help me the most?
- What recent special experience have I enjoyed?
- What recurring dream do I have?
- What recurring dreams do I have?
- What recurring temptation do I have?
- What recurring temptations do I face?
- What service am I giving to pay for my space in life?
- What shortcuts am I tempted to take?
- What situations make me feel insecure?
- What specific progress did I make last year?
- What spiritual disciplines have I found helpful?
- What subjects interest me repeatedly?
- What triggers positive self-talk what triggers negative self-talk?
- What type of compliments do I value most? From whom?
- What type of work do I do best: project or continuing administration, individual or team?
- What was I worrying about this time last year?
- What will I be like in 1/5/10 years?
- What would I do and how would I spend my time if I didn’t have to earn a living?
- What would I like my dominant trait to be?
- When are my spouse and I one (perfectly united)?
- When do I do my best work: under a deadline, need for ego satisfaction, sense of responsibility, creating energy?
- When do I feel "together?"
- When do I feel free?
- When do I feel God is using me?
- When do I feel good?
- When do I feel guilty, depressed?
- When do I feel most alive?
- When do I have time for myself and how do I use it?
- When do I hear the "hound of heaven" baying at me?
- When do I see myself as an exception to the rule?
- When do I trust my body to heal itself?
- When do I want to be my own authority?
- When I die, what will be my greatest legacy?
- When was the last time I laughed at myself?
- When was the last time I showed courage?
- Where do I get my energy?
- Where have I changed my opinion on a major issue?
- Where is my ego unhealthy?
- Which do I remember more: positive or negative experiences?
- Which is more important to me: character or intelligence?
- Which prejudices have I overcome?
- Which subjects do I communicate best?
- Who and what commands my attention?
- Who are my enemies?
- Who are the authorities in my life and in what areas?
- Who are the important people I should stay in good relationship with?
- Who can do what to help me?
- Who do I believe in more than they believe in themselves?
- Who do I enjoy being with?
- Who do I need to say thank you to?
- Who have I asked for meaningful help?
- Who is my current mentor and what is he doing for me?
- Who is my favorite entertainer?
- Who is your favorite Bible character? Why?
- Who really listens to me – individuals/groups?
- Who should I team with?
- Why am I doing what I am doing?
- Why do I care what people think about me?
- Why do I delay physical exams?
- Why do I procrastinate?
- Will I renege on a bargain on a technicality?
- With what one word would friends and family describe me?
