Wow, that's a GOOD question …

“That’s a good question.”

Chances are, you’ve heard that phrase before.

Maybe during a TV interview. Maybe during a post-game press conference. Maybe it’s been spoken to you during a conversation with a friend.

Here’s my question: What does that even mean?

Does it mean the query was phrased eloquently?

Does it mean the recipient was stumped for an answer?

Is it merely filler for me to bide my time when I’m not sure how to respond?

Yep.

All three.

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Then again, there ARE some good questions. Some have little impact on our everyday lives, but they do tend to expand our thought processes.

•Why is the sky blue?

•Why do artists who clearly speak with a British accent sound American when they sing?

•If a blind person asked you to describe the color green, how would you do it?

•Do fish get thirsty?

•When does it stop being partly cloudy and start being partly sunny?

•In the word “scent,” which letter is silent? S or C?

See what I mean?

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Sometimes, a good question can expand our waistline:

•Got milk?

•Want fries with that?

•Where’s the beef?

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Sometimes, a good question we ask ourselves is not healthy for our psyche:

•What will people say?

•What will people think?

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Sometimes, there are good questions we’re better off not asking:

•When are you going to get married?

•Are you pregnant?

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Sometimes, there’s a good question we’re better off not answering:

•Does this make me look fat?

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Sometimes, a good question can change the trajectory of our individual lives.

•Will you marry me?

•Is it cancer, Doc?

•If you died tonight, do you know for sure where you would spend eternity?

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And sometimes, a good question, posed at just the right moment, can ignite a spirit of unity that might bring people of all races, ages, and political beliefs together. One like this:

“Can I help you on, sir?”

And sometimes, a question is so good that it hits even harder when you see what happened right afterward.

(Tim Kolodziej is the author of this piece and founder of EnspireU.com. When he’s not behind a laptop, he can be found inside a gym helping young athletes create their own unique future — one rep at a time. Click here to connect with him by email.)