A Short Guide To Problem Solving And Effective Thinking
Posted by Chris Arribbat | Posted in Goal Setting | Posted on 05-17-2010
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Problem solving is a pretty broad topic of discussion. This could mean anything from figuring out how to pay your bills this month to determining who’s spreading gossip at the workplace. We solve dozens of problems every day, but some of them get a little overwhelming at times. When this happens, we really have to put our abilities to the test and think our way through the situation.

The best way to solve problems is with an ordered, logical, step by step approach. The particulars, the specifics of each step are as infinitely varied as the possible problems you might be facing, but in a broad sense, they always come down to three acts…
Isolate the Problem
You can’t fight what you can’t see, as they say, so before you take any steps to actually solve a problem, you need to figure out what, exactly, it is that you’re up against. You need to figure out exactly what it is that’s bothering you, exactly what it is that’s standing between yourself and your goals. Identify it and isolate it. For example, if your car is acting up, this could mean doing a diagnostic on your engine to figure out what part is preventing the vehicle from running at its best. If you’re playing Chess, this could mean figuring out which of your opponent’s pieces is in the best position to thwart your victory. Again, it could mean literally anything, but by looking at all of the factors and thinking it through, you should always be able to figure out exactly what the real problem is.
Identify the Root Cause
You can treat the symptoms of a problem, but you should really get to the bottom of it. So if you have trouble making rent, the problem might be that you’re always coming up a hundred bucks short. This can be solved one month by selling some old jewelry or a guitar you don’t play anymore, but the source of the problem is that you’re not making enough money living check to check. The source is what you want to pinpoint and combat, not just the symptoms of the problem themselves. So if your car keeps breaking down, maybe the source isn’t the part that keeps needing to be replaced, it could be that you’re not getting oil changes regularly enough, or it could even mean that your axle is off and it’s doing no favors to the rest of your car. You need to find the source of the problem and get it at the roots.
Use a PRACTICAL Solution
Whatever your problem might be, whether it affects you mentally or psychologically or emotionally, the root is always practical, and so is the solution. You find the problem by thinking it out, you solve the problem by taking some real, practical steps to solving it. So using the example of impotence, many men go running for the little blue pill, but if your source is stress or depression, then you need to solve that, not the impotence itself. Solve the root cause. With an unrewarding sex life, this could mean just changing your diet, or it could mean talking to a therapist, or if you’re stressed at work, it could mean a vacation or asking for fewer responsibilities. The solution is always to take practical steps to pull the source problem out by the roots.
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