Adopt a Problem-Solving Approach To Life
Each day, relationship, business idea, job, or environment poses a unique set of “problems”. Experiencing a challenge or resistance (small or huge) when going about our lives is as normal as breathing.
Whether we’re struggling with financial burdens, business goals, unresolved relational issues, or the next meal, life seems to pop a new question with every step. How do we tackle these challenges without feeling overwhelmed?
Developing a problem-solving approach is an active way to combat everyday issues and we’ll be unpacking what that looks like in this article.
Victim or Victor?
We’re all somewhat “victims of circumstance”. We were born into a particular family, neighborhood, or city. Our upbringing, schools, and places of worship as kids were not our decisions.
But then, we grow to an age where we have some influence over our circumstances. We decide how we plan our days, the friendships we wish to invest in, the business we’d like to start, if we want to pursue a relationship with God, and so on. We choose (actively or passively) our circumstances.
While we all grow to the age of responsibility, it’s possible to shorthand ourselves and not flesh out the extent to which we can consciously define our reality. We can get stuck apportioning blame to every experience and environmental factor that has plagued us without looking inward to wield our limited, but potent power. Do you want to remain a victim of circumstance or a victor in varying circumstances?
How To Adopt a Problem-Solving Approach
Believe you can surmount anything
Mind your words & confessions
Analyze the root cause of a problem
Visualize ideal solutions
Define clear goals & action points
Surround yourself with similar minds
Remain flexible
Belief is a strange thing. It’s what the brain and heart hold as truth. Feeling helpless and hopeless is either strengthened or dispelled by your fundamental beliefs. Your brain will bring up thought patterns and ideas to encourage a narrative your mind accepts. If you’re trying to build a problem-solving mindset, first believe you can solve problems.
Train your brain to believe it can surmount challenges and birth solutions. A sports athlete working towards a better performance should accept that it is within their ability to exceed their current accomplishments.
Your words and confessions demonstrate and strengthen your belief. If you form the habit of saying you’re unable to do something, anything, it’ll slowly become a belief you’ll act out.
Using the sports athlete example, they can confess their ability or commitment to improving their performance. “I can do it” “I will work on it” “I will get better”.
Most issues are symptoms of a dysfunctional foundation. Employees at a company may perform suboptimally because they’re overworked and underappreciated. Your business may experience stagnation because your strategies are outdated.
The root cause of a problem may be due to an intertwined knot of various factors. It is our responsibility to look beyond the obvious problem we’re facing, and deep into the root causes. Consider all the factors that may be contributing to the undesirable circumstance. For the sports athlete, it could be sleeping patterns, food choices, uncontrolled screen time, or a mix of these.
We’re not trying to gain knowledge of the problem just because. We can be stuck defining problems and pointing out everything wrong, but that’s not the goal. Visualize the ideal circumstance you want to create. Acknowledge what’s working right now and the optimal reality you’d prefer.
We want to be clear, specific, and realistic with this image because we’re preparing to take a trip there. For the sports athlete, that may look like sleeping by 9 pm most nights, an extra hour of practice daily, healthier food choices, and no late-night eating.
After you’ve identified the cause of a problem and visualized a desirable scenario. The next step is defining how to progress from your current point to the ideal situation. If your goals are vague, your ideal circumstance will remain an imagination. Translate your vision to reality by defining clear goals and action points.
When you map out a solution, break it into small action points you can begin taking daily or weekly. Whether that is an extra hour of practice, or working on specific exercises (still using the sports athlete example), be as specific as you can. What kind of exercises? Do I need to ask anyone for help? Leave no holes in your new resolve.
Bad company corrupts good manners. Well, problem-focused victims can corrupt solution-focused minds. As much as possible, share your ideas and strategies with people likely to encourage and support your intentional journey towards ideal circumstances.
Have you ever been in a company of folks who complained about a situation non-stop for about 2 hours without any attempt to discuss possible solutions? How did you feel afterward? Depending on the depth of your relationship, you can be the voice pointing to a solution-focused approach. But, if you never make headway, it’s best to protect your mind.
Surprise, surprise. Things won’t always turn out how you intend them. Remember, I mentioned earlier that we have limited power. That means your efforts may fail. You may have to experiment with new approaches or move on from toxic environments and relationships.
An unforeseen circumstance you didn’t envision could shake you up a little. Be flexible in those seasons and go back to the drawing board. Always think of the smallest thing you can do to keep moving forward.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way…
Building a problem-solving approach to life like most things worthwhile is a journey, not a singular event. It’s one that requires utmost intentionality and consistent efforts.
You’re choosing to see beyond negative circumstances staring you in the face, diving into their root cause, and actively finding ways to create a more ideal circumstance even if the results aren’t immediate. But, I can say it’s a wholesome and exhilarating approach. Cheers to being a problem solver!