3 Ways to Solve Problems
3 Ways to Solve Problems
If there is one thing we all have in common, it is problems. Problems with work, family, finances, friends, career… there seems to be a never ending supply of them. Solving other people’s problems always seems easier than solving our own. Hence, I have a career. Here are 3 of my personal secrets for solving other people`s problems to help you solve yours.
1. Listen. Just like I listen first to what people are saying and let them talk themselves out, listen to your own self talk. What are the particular verbs you are using to describe your problem? If you are saying to yourself `I hate this.` , remember that `hate` is a powerful emotion and will colour your judgement. If your self talk is, `It confuses me to…` think of why you are confused which is usually from not understanding something. Go back and learn what you need to know so the confusion is lessened.
2. Come up with more than one alternative option. If you only see 2 options like the tide is in or the tide is out, you have not thought through the problem. The tide is only `in` 2 times a day for one minute each time. The rest of the time the tide is coming in or going out. Problems need more than the obvious in or out, high or low, buy or sell solutions. When you think of at least 5 viable options, now you understand the problem well enough to start to take action or make a recommendation.
3. Take action based upon your gut, not long deliberation or relying on massive detail. Harvard Business Review reported how decisions based upon a gut feeling were better than those based upon mulling over reams of data. Further, decisions are better when there is only a limited amount of information. The more detailed and trivial the information, the more likely we are to focus on the wrong thing. Finally, those who sleep on the decision let their subconscious minds work on it and that is where the creativity happens. The conscious mind possesses very little creativity.
Solving your problems in life still will not be easy. These three tools, however, will better equip you for tackling the next problem to arise. `Hmmm… eat Chinese or Italian for lunch.`
