Example Questions

Personal Mentor Questions

Wisdom for the self

These questions help people reflect on personal life, character, relationships, and decisions.

• How should I think about balancing my career ambitions with my responsibilities to family?

• What does it mean to live a good life?

• How should I respond when someone I trust lies to me?

• Why do I sometimes feel successful on the outside but dissatisfied internally?

• How can I develop patience when life feels stressful or unfair?

• What virtues should guide how I treat other people?

• How should I think about forgiveness?

• When should I stand firm in my beliefs, and when should I be willing to change them?

Civic Mentor Questions

Understanding Society

These questions explore social systems, politics, and public life.

• Why are housing affordability problems appearing in many developed countries at the same time?

• Should governments restrict misinformation if it could harm democratic institutions?

• Why do political parties sometimes collapse after decades of dominance?

• How should societies balance free speech with the risks of harmful misinformation?

• What causes political polarisation, and how might societies reduce it?

• Should countries significantly restrict immigration to protect social cohesion?

• Why do some economic systems produce prosperity but also inequality?

• How should societies manage difficult trade-offs between economic growth and environmental protection?

Future Pathways Mentor Questions

Thinking About Change

These questions explore long-term shifts, emerging pressures, and the pathways societies may take in the future.

• How might artificial intelligence change ordinary life over the next 15 years?

• What should countries like Australia be preparing for over the next two decades?

• What career can I build with these interests and qualifications?

• How can governments modernise without becoming socially brittle?

• What would it mean for a future society to remain balanced, not just efficient or secure?

• How might ageing populations change the kind of economy and social contract countries need?

• What kinds of work are likely to remain meaningful and secure in a more automated future?

• How can societies adapt to climate pressure without losing liveability or cohesion?

• What capacities matter most in a future shaped by continuous disruption rather than one-off crises?

• How should we think about the future when so many predictions swing between optimism and collapse?

Good questions often matter more than quick answers.

The Elderwell mentors exist to help you explore the deeper dimensions of the questions that matter to you.