Day 47: Answer "I don't know, what do YOU think?" EVERY time someone asks you for advice or a decision. Listen to what they have to say.

Challenge Day 47: Answer "I don't know, what do YOU think?" every time someone asks you for advice or a decision. Listen to what they have to say.

Advice or decision? Is decision the same as a question? Does that mean for each question I have to say "I don't know?"

Either way, epic fail on today's challenge.

I worked today and on Sundays my job is to provide support for the worship service and help church members and visitors. This is not a good day to be telling people "I don't know".

My best chance for success with this challenge would be with my family. So I didn't tell my wife what the challenge was.

This morning at work, a church volunteer stopped me to ask where the leadership training was. Fortunately, I didn't know, so when I told her, "I don't know" it was true. But there was no way I was going to say, "I don't know, what do you think?" That would just be obnoxious.

In the office, another staff member asked me if I have employment start dates for some childcare workers. How in the world could I look at her and say, "I don't know, what do you think?" It's my job to be helpful.

Later in the car, evidently I did something (for about the millionth time) to annoy my 13-year-old. She glared at me and shrieked, "What is wrong with you!?"

"I don't know, what to you think?" I replied.

What?! You're a freak!" she responded. I have to admit, it was a freakish answer.

Maybe dinner decisions would create a better opportunity, but nope. No advice or decisions were asked of me.

I get the point of this challenge - to empower others to make decisions on their own and reinforce that they know the answers. This is something I try to do regularly with my staff and my daughter. The opportunities just didn't present themselves today.

I'm OK trying and not succeeding at today's challenge. I'll keep the spirit of the challenge in mind for other days.