5 Step Problem Solving Strategy

Do you have problems? Of course, you have problems. You have problems, I have problems, we all have problems. Life is unfortunately not the utopian existence we crave.

When I was in high school, I wrote a term paper about utopias and dystopias. I immersed myself in the perfection of fictional worlds, allowed myself to live in the clouds and found my own world sadly lacking in comparison. Then I dove into the dystopian worlds of 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and came away disillusioned and frankly frightened.

Though we certainly don’t live in a utopia where life is beautiful all the time, we can consider ourselves lucky that our world doesn’t match the depths of the imaginations of Orwell and Huxley. We live in the middle ground – between the castle in the clouds and the fiery inferno underground. We have problems, but we also have joy, potential and opportunities. Of course, it is hard to see the latter when we are mired in the former.

How big is your problem?

Do you ever feel like this….I have a problem. It’s a really big problem. The more I think about it, the more overwhelming it becomes. This problem is an insurmountable Mt. Everest-sized problem. It is all consuming. This is a life-altering problem.

When we get mired in our problems, dwell on them, immerse ourselves in them and allow them to seep into every aspect of our lives and our being, they can feel a lot bigger than they are. They consume us and drain our energy and focus away from the things we want to do. As we think more and more about them, they grow and morph into catastrophes which have the power to undermine everything else we want to accomplish.

Is that problem actually as scary and powerful as your ruminations have allowed it to appear? Good question. Perception is often merely a blurry and distorted reflection of reality. The truth under your thoughts, assumptions, judgements, projections and perceptions often is not quite as dire as your interpretation led you to believe.

An even better question is, how do I get past my perceptions of the problem to find the truth?

Step 1: Evaluate the problem objectively

The first step is taking an objective look at the problem itself. Probing the facts surrounding the problem without getting stuck in the emotions surrounding the problem can give you the perspective you need to shift your thoughts away from disaster and toward reality.

When you have a problem which feels overwhelming, ask yourself:

What exactly is the problem?

Why does this bother me? Are these reasons objective (fact based) or subjective (opinion based)?

What is driving the problem? What is the cause or trigger?

How important do I perceive the problem to be? How important do others perceive the problem to be?

Step 2: Think forward

Once you have a grasp on the real problem and its root cause, you can ask yourself the million-dollar question – What would my life be like if this was not a problem anymore?

This shift from problem-focus to solution-focus is one which many of us never make. Our problems can be so all-consuming that dealing with them day in and day out can drain our energy, complaining about them can become a habit, and living with them can feel like the only choice. We never take the time to think about an alternate path forward.

Instead of approaching life by thinking about what you don’t have and what is wrong, ask yourself what you want and how you can get it. Abandoning a victim mindset and instead embracing action and solutions is amazingly empowering. Rather than being buried under your problems, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel and more importantly can take the first step out of your problem and toward that light. Once your vision of the future without this problem is clear and compelling, you are ready to take the next step.

Step 3: Brainstorm options

If your vision of life after the problem has been solved is attractive enough, you should be feeling energized and driven to overcome your problem and get to that vision. Use that energy to generate as many possible solutions to your problem as you can. No idea is too silly, impractical, or outrageous at this point. Ask yourself:

What are my options?

What options have I never considered before?

How would someone I admire handle this problem?

If I was giving advice to a friend who had this problem, what would I tell them to do?

Step 4: Choose solutions

When you have a list of at least ten solutions, start to sort through your ideas. Combine the ones which complement each other, eliminate those which are too hard or impractical, listen to your gut feelings about each one and if it might work for you.

When you have a solution which feels like a good path forward to you, check it against your vision for life after the problem. Can this solution get you there? Are you willing to make the changes and put in the work to make it happen? Hint: the answer should be a full-throated, enthusiastic YES!

Step 5: Take action

It’s time to get started! Thinking and dreaming about life after the problem is inspiring, and choosing a solution is a good step, but until you take action your problem is going to stay with you. Ask yourself: What is the first step I can take to move closer to the light at the end of the tunnel?

Make a list of the things you need to do, skills you need to learn, people you need to talk to, and actions you need to take to get yourself to that final vision. And, then…..take the first step. Do it today!