Category Archives: Problem Solving

“Who do you serve and what problems do you solve?”

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“Who do you serve and what problems do you solve?”

—Simon Sinek, British-born American author and inspirational speaker

Image from Unsplash by Parabol | The Agile Meeting Tool

How satisfied do you feel at the end of each day?

Regardless of whether you receive gobs of recognition or praise from those around you, it’s helpful to have your own internal scoreboard to measure your life.

How clear are you about the people you serve in both your personal and professional worlds? Take a few minutes to get very specific so that you can increase your intentionality with these folks.

What problems do you solve that they value and most likely couldn’t solve as well or as quickly without your assistance? Again, get as specific as possible as to the difference you make in their lives.

EXERCISE:

At the end of the day ask and answer the question, Who did I serve and what problems did I help solve? I hope you then sleep well and give this exercise another go tomorrow.

“When faced with a problem, we can choose to wait on it or we can choose to work on it.”

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“When faced with a problem, we can choose to wait on it or we can choose to work on it.”

—Stephen St. Amant, author of Savenwood

Image from Unsplash by Karla Hernandez

Taking the time to reflect and ponder on our problems can be a very useful exercise.

Turning our challenges over in our minds can offer us a wider range of perspectives, and ways forward.

At times when we are completely stumped it can be helpful to reach out to others for guidance and assistance.

Taking a wait and see period beyond a reasonable length of time creates a paralysis that can trickle into other areas of our lives.

This often leads to a genderized gridlock and significant loss of confidence and self-efficacy.

EXERCISE:

On what issue have you been waiting too long for your problem to somehow resolve on its own?

Where is it time to take greater initiative and get to work to break-through the obstacles facing you?

You are just as likely to solve a problem by being unconventional and determined as by being brilliant.

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“You are just as likely to solve a problem by being unconventional and determined as by being brilliant.”

—Sir James Dyson, British inventor, industrial designer, and business magnate

Image from Wikipedia

The Dyson company was officially formed in 1987, inspired by an experience James had with a Walmart vacuum cleaner, which blocked suction and failed to perform.

Using his skills as an engineer, he took it apart, fixed the issue and took it back to the store, vowing to develop a better product for them.

It took five years and 5,127 prototypes to perfect his idea.

EXERCISE:

In what ways could you utilize more unconventional methods and greater determined effort to resolve obstacles blocking your way?

What would you do with yourself if there were no problems to solve

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What would you do with yourself if there were no problems to solve? How often do we make up problems to give us something to do?

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Jonathan Maybe

Imagine you are a business owner or executive working 80+ hours a week.

What if you are a homemaker or caregiver putting in just as many or more hours?

What would happen if you were given a golden ticket which suddenly takes all of the responsibilities and other burdens off your shoulders? What might you do with your own mini-sabbatical?

Consider the following activities and the problems you might create:

  • Planning and going on a two-week cruise or vacation
  • Setting up tee times and playing unlimited rounds of golf for a week
  • Planning and checking off 2 or 3 bucket list activities
  • Visiting family and friends in multiple states you haven’t seen in years
  • Make up a one- or two-week adventure of your own

EXERCISE:

How did it feel to contemplate those scenarios?

What would it be like to increase the problems of your choosing?

How important is problem-solving for you to feel engaged, purposeful and alive?

“It’s break time for your problem-solving mind.”

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“It’s break time for your problem-solving mind.”

—Jeff Warren, author of The Head Trip: Adventures on the Wheel of Consciousness

Image from Amazon

When do you have the most focus and ability to concentrate in a typical day? What duration of time is optimal before you begin losing this edge? How often do you press on beyond this noticeable decline in effectiveness?

In much the same way our bodies need to rest, renew, and recharge from physical exertion, our minds need periodic breaks to do the same.

Reading is a good example. How long is it before you start rereading the same sentence or need to go back a paragraph or two to comprehend and grasp various types of material?

One strategy that can be helpful is to switch between physical and mental activities to give the other capacity a break. At times when you are using both a total break may be the solution you’re looking for.

EXERCISE:

Do a google search on various productivity hacks. The Pomodoro Technique and the 20-Minute Rule are two approaches for your consideration.

Friday Review: Problem-Solving

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Friday Review: Problem-Solving

What strategies do you employ in problem-solving? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“You cannot dream yourself into a character, you must hammer and forge yourself into one.”

 

 

 

 

“Don’t cut strings when you can untie knots.”

 

 

 

 

“Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.”

 

 

 

Friday Review: Problem-Solving

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FRIDAY REVIEW: PROBLEM-SOLVING

What skills or strategies do you employ in problem-solving? Here are a few posts related to problem-solving you may have missed.

 

“There is a great difference between worry and concern. A worried person sees a problem and a concerned person solves a problem.”

 

 

 

 

“Each problem that I solved became a rule which served afterwards to solve other problems.”

 

 

 

 

“From the errors of others, a wise man corrects his own.”

 

 

 

 

“What is the problem that you are the answer to?”

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“What is the problem that you are the answer to?”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Hans-Peter Gauster

Consider all the roles and responsibilities you have in a typical day. How is it that you create value in your professional and personal communities?

Which of these efforts create the greatest intrinsic and extrinsic value for others and at the same time bring the greatest joy and life satisfaction to you?

Consider the overlapping of these areas as your personal and professional brand or niche. How much of your day do you expend in these efforts versus those that feel like an obligation or burden?

EXERCISE:

What are your special talents and unique abilities that light you up and solve meaningful problems in the world?

How might you realign your daily efforts to spend far more of your precious time doing what you were meant to do?

What comes easy won’t last long

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“What comes easy won’t last long, and what lasts long won’t come easy.”

—Author Unknown

Image of a sand castly by the ocean

Image from Unsplash by Dallas Reedy

Are you a builder?

All of us are, to some degree.

Take a trip into your memory banks to revisit the sand castles, school projects, tree houses, do-it-yourself projects, and perhaps even a business, you have begun or completed.

How much time and effort went into each example? Which of these have stood the test of time?

If you enjoy the idea of building extraordinary things, consider checking out the series Impossible Engineering on the Science Channel. Each episode details how giant structures and record-breaking buildings are built, how they work, and how they have shaped our modern world.

EXERCISE:

What are some of your most important personal and professional projects?

How will you maximize your efforts and levels of commitment to make sure they are built to last?

opportunities take shape within the problems

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“Wherever we look upon this earth, the opportunities take shape within the problems.”

—Nelson Rockefeller

Image of Hans Gosling

Image of Hans Rosling from TED.com

Looking at anything and declaring it a problem is a very human thing to do. In many ways, this very characteristic is what makes us human.

In his fascinating book, Factfulness, professor of international health and global TED phenomenon Hans Rosling and his colleagues Anna and Ola, offer an amazing new explanation of why we see the state of the world as far worse than the facts reveal.

Rosling explains what he calls the “Ten instincts that Distort our Perspective.” Among them are:

  • Dividing the world into camps such as “Us and Them,” or developed and undeveloped countries.
  • The way we consume media in which fear rules.
  • How we perceive progress versus believing that things are getting worse wherever we look.

Rosling and his team of researchers are by no means blind to the significant challenges facing the world. He is, however, asking all of us to look closely and clearly at the objective facts to better enable us to tackle the very real problems facing humanity.

EXERCISE:

What is at least one significant opportunity in our world that you are committed to working on, given this clearer and objective perspective?

Please consider watching Hans Rosling’s TED Talks, and if you wish to learn more about his important work, read his book.