Oprah Has Asked 37000 People This Question

One of the secrets to her own success

Oprah may be the best interviewer of all time.

62 million viewers watched her sit down with Michael Jackson for his first interview in 14 years. Oprah traveled to his Neverland Ranch, where he moonwalked and beatboxed for her, and answered some intrusive questions.

It was an eventful day.

She questioned him about his love life, asked if he was still a virgin, and if believed in a higher power. The year was 1993 and rumors about his skin condition were at an all-time high.

Oprah brought up the rumors and asked him if he was bleaching his skin.

The interview was powerful.

Some people thought her interviewing style lacked empathy. Her questions seemed harsh at times, but Michael had agreed to talk about anything and everything.

For Michael Jackson to open up and discuss those subjects was brave. He answered honestly and talked about his skin disease, Vitiligo.

Nobody knew much about the disorder that destroyed the pigmentation in his skin. He gave an emotional response and was able to set the record straight about the hurtful rumors.

Almost 30 years later, the interview still gives me chills. She seems fearless and asks questions that others might shy away from or avoid.

Some moments in her interviews are almost too much. I keep waiting for her guests to walk off or refuse to answer certain questions.

But that’s why she’s the best.

Oprah can get people to open up and share deep, personal details. She puts pressure on her questions in a way that her guests don’t feel attacked. People reveal a surprising amount of information.

Oprah’s skills come from 25 years of interviewing experience.

During that time, she

• asked the right questions at the right times
• listened to her guest (instead of just waiting for her turn to talk)
• showed genuine love, empathy, and compassion
• and developed a routine of asking the same question before every interview.

Famous celebrities, authors, politicians, and even royalty are all approached with the same question.

The clarifying question before the interview

At the Tribeca Film Festival, Oprah shared the question she has asked more than 37,000 times,

“Before every interview since 1989, I would ask the person I was interviewing, ‘Please tell me what your intention is.’”

She explained how she asks about their intentions, then tells them her intentions for the interview, and then tries to make them both align.

“Years ago, I learned that your intention determines the outcome of everything you do. I believe the ‘Oprah Show’ was number 1 for all those years because we were an intentional show, with a mission to use television to uplift, enlighten, and entertain.”

That’s it. Simple and to the point.

Knowing her intention is vital to her success. She believes it could work for anyone with anything they are working on in their life.

Nowadays, she asks the same magic question before every meeting. She says she will only give a ‘yes’ once their intentions align.

Intentions are ruling your life

Oprah says that learning the Principle of Intention was life-changing. It is in everything she does.

On Oprahdaily.com she says

“Intention is ruling your life, whether or not you’re aware. It’s law. It is ONE with cause and effect, and you can’t have action or reaction without it.”

And this advice:

“In order to step into the most powerful version of yourself, you need to have clarity of intention. You need to know not just what you want, but why you want it.”

How can we put this advice into action?

Start with today. Start with a small goal or task. Ask yourself ‘What is my intention?’ If you are writing a story, what message do you want others to get, and why?

In any task, big or small, ask yourself this question. Make sure you are aligning your actions with your intention.

Does this help me get closer to x?

This is a simple question to ask yourself, and anybody you work with. Align with their intentions for the best outcome.

Once we know what we want and why we want it, we will have the clarity we need for success.

Or at least that's what Oprah says.

Before you go… If you enjoyed my story, you should get my posts sent to your inbox! Do That Here. If you aren’t already, become a Medium member here. For $5 a month, you’ll have access to unlimited stories and I’ll earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for reading my story and supporting my love of writing.