Idea To Reflect On
Do not wait for extraordinary opportunities. Use ordinary situations to achieve great results.
Personal Projects
What Does It Take To Solve A Difficult Problem?
by Pippin Lowe
Most people can count on one hand the number of weeks in their life where everything was perfect. No aches and pains, no contention in their personal relationships and their pockets were filled with all the money desired. For many this is the sort of science fiction that only seems to occupy the hereafter.
Three Methods Of Coping
The burden of a problem manifests within each person in individualistic ways. There are three basic avenues of dealing with problems. Some turn the trouble inward where depression can grip the person, which often results in an inability to act. Others turn the frustrations of a difficult situation into anger with its worst manifestation being violence. The third is a technique where one analyzes the problem, creates a plan of action, then follows through to resolve the trouble. It is this third method which is geared toward constructively solving the problem that is the most work and seems to be least natural. For it must be learned.
Analyzing The Problem
There are several valid methods for solving or finding new insights into difficult situations. Just a few of these are brainstorming; dividing the issue into its basic components, then acting to resolve each section of difficulty; or using the solution someone else created for a similar situation. The one thing almost every analytical approach uses is the technique of first clarifying the issue by collecting information about what caused the problem, then creating a list of possible solutions with details about the obstacles that need to be overcome.
Part of the work of deciding which possible solution is best for an problem is to first figure out your goals for securing a resolution. What will constitute a successful conclusion to the problem? Are there sections of the problem that may be best left unresolved? What resources, both financial and human, will be needed?
Tweaking The Plan
Once the basic questions to the issue have been answered, and the best proposal is decided upon, the plan to instigate the proposal can be created. The plan must be detailed enough to keep you moving toward your objective, but not so narrowly focused that any deviation from the path results in the stagnation of progress. Flexibility within the plan is a requirement for achievement. Every plan of action will encounter unforeseen stumbling blocks. Therefore the ability to be able to tweak the strategy is crucial for accomplishing the plan’s purpose.
In order to make any corrections that are needed you will have to set up a method of checks and balances. This will ensure that the wrong course of action will only be followed for the least amount of time. For example, if you know you can only afford to spend a dollar in advertising for every ten dollars in revenue, you will need to track which ads are bringing in the most customers and how much each person spends.
Staying Motivated
One of the long-term concerns about resolving a troubling situation is the issue of staying motivated when the problem is not receiving the results desired as quickly as anticipated. The essence of what is considered to be a “difficult problem” is that it has elements of being overwhelming. When this fact is coupled with a decreased progress toward resolution, a dread for continuing the current action can soon engulf the participants. Setting up a reward system for each achieved step is the easiest method for overcoming a declining excitement. Altering a plan gone awry is another method of boosting the energy necessary for action.
Keep In Mind
Each type of problem requires a unique method for resolution. Health problems may demand that the individual’s physical strength be taken into consideration. Issues concerning other people often require that the needs of each person be incorporated into the creation of the solution. Work issues may best be resolved by using outside consultants or a brainstorming tool to bring forth new ideas.
Basically problems are like mysteries with twists and unseen elements. Solutions are like inventions, with each having unique designs and components of movement which produces a useful action. The solution to a problem is the promise of lifting the burden so that for an instant a state of perfection is achieved.