
Wait, What?
And Life's Other Essential Questions
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Narrated by:
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James E. Ryan
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By:
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James E. Ryan
About this listen
Joining the ranks of Tina Seelig's What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20, Clayton Christensen's How Will You Measure Your Life, Mary Karr's Now Go out There, and George Saunders' Congratulations, by the Way is an insightful guide that reveals the secret to pursuing a rich, fulfilling life: the art of asking (and answering) good questions.
In his commencement address to the graduating class of 2016, James E. Ryan, dean of the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, offered remarkable advice to the crowd of hopeful men and women eager to make their marks on the world. The key to achieving emotional connections and social progress, he told them, can be found in five essential questions:
- Wait, what?
- I wonder if...
- Couldn't we at least?
- How can I help?
- What truly matters?
"Wait, what?" is at the root of all understanding. "I wonder if..." is at the heart of all curiosity. "Couldn't we at least?" is the beginning of all progress. "How can I help?" is the basis of all good relationships. And "what truly matters?" gets you to the heart of life. By regularly asking these questions, Ryan promises, you will be prepared to enthusiastically answer yes to one final - and, ultimately, most important - question: "And did you get what you wanted out of life, even so?"
In this thoughtful, illuminating book, Ryan builds upon his wildly popular and universally praised address, which has been viewed more than four million times online. Wait, What? offers further insights into the art of asking good questions, highlighted by hilarious and surprising anecdotes from Ryan's personal and professional lives as well as stories from politics, popular culture, and social movements throughout history.
Engaging and inspiring, Wait, What? will change the way you look at yourself and the world and, in the process, help you get what you want most out of life.
©2017 James E. Ryan (P)2017 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...
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Practical and Poignant
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Brilliant ideas for moments in need of compassion.
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A Bio
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Entertaining and thought provoking.
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Entertaining and important advice
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insightful and simple
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Good job!
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Loved this!
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The stories made me think. How many times I should have asked these questions rather than taking for granted I already know?
I suspect I’ll be listening again as well as using these questions in my days to day life, a lot.
Excellent Content
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Insightful, funny, and touching
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