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My client's simple question about 'why' made me change how I answer things | Ask Anything - nhfree.com

My client's simple question about 'why' made me change how I answer things

I was finishing a session with a regular client last Thursday, and she asked me a basic question about her workout plan. I gave my usual quick answer, but she just looked at me and said, 'Okay, but why is that the rule? What happens if I don't?' I froze for a second because I realized I was just repeating what I'd been taught, not really thinking it through. We ended up talking for another 20 minutes in the parking lot, and I had to admit I didn't have a perfect reason for some of the standard advice. It hit different because she wasn't trying to be difficult, she just genuinely wanted to understand the 'why' behind the 'what'. It made me realize I need to dig deeper into my own knowledge base instead of just giving surface-level answers. Has anyone else had a simple question from someone completely change how you explain your own job or hobby?

3 comments

3 Comments

holly_green825mo ago

Oh man, that "but why?" question is the ultimate gut check. I once tried to explain a basic cooking rule to my nephew and his follow-up questions made me realize my whole reason was "because my mom said so." How many things do we just parrot back without actually getting it ourselves? That moment of having to say "I don't know" is so humbling but it's the best kick to actually go learn the real reason. Your client did you a favor, even if it felt awkward in the parking lot.

jesse_nguyen5mo ago

Hold up, is it really that deep though? Sometimes "because my mom said so" is actually fine. Like not touching a hot stove, you don't need a physics degree to get it. @holly_green82 I feel like we overthink stuff now. If I stopped for every "why" on basic life rules, I'd never get anything done. Isn't it okay to just accept some things as common sense?

grantt114mo ago

Pulled a @holly_green82 moment myself recently. Told a client to take creatine post-workout. He asked why. I went blank. Realized I was just repeating shit from a YouTube video I watched in 2019. Now I carry a "why notebook" like some kind of dork. The parking lot confession is real though.