October 1, 2007

Change the World: Solve a Problem about Problems

published this at 5:42 am

It’s a Problem

Change the World!

I’ve been looking at the problems I’ve faced down, moved around, and crawled over. Something stands out as more interesting than their causes or how they were solved.

Every time a problem arose, I argued for to prove it was a problem.

In my effort to define what was going on I would tell someone about what a problem it was.

People would talk about solutions. I would think, “You need to know why this REALLY IS A PROBLEM.” I needed the listener to see that before I could move on.

Now it dawns on me that I’m the one who wasn’t seeing. What useful reason could I give for convincing someone (and myself) that what I faced was a problem? Isn’t that just a way to make the situation look and feel worse before I take it on? I can’t imagine how such a habit must have colored my response.

I want future irritations, change of plans, and issues to be on notice. I’m no longer advocating for you to be promoted to problems. You’ll be staying little things from this moment on.

I quit arguing on behalf of problems. I’m getting on to the solving part instead.

More time, clearer mind, less stress . . .

We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

______________
If you’re ready to change the world, send me your thoughts in a guest post. Feel free to take the gorgeous Change the World image up there that Sandy designed back to your blog. Or help yourself to this one.

Change the World!.

Email me about what you’re doing or what we might do. Let’s change the world one bit at a time together. Together it can’t take forever.

Filed under Motivation-Inspiration, Successful Blog | 16 Comments »


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16 Comments to “Change the World: Solve a Problem about Problems”

  1. October 1st, 2007 at 7:49 am
    Phil said

    Hey Liz,

    Don’t you find that, as you explain to someone else why a problem is a problem more and more, you go over ways of solving that don’t work? If you do that long enough, between the two of you, you may eventually hit on a solution that you hadn’t thought of and may work.

    This has certainly helped me with programming issues, however I’m sure some sort of likeness could be applied in general.

    That’s why I think talking about problems helps.

  2. October 1st, 2007 at 7:53 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Phil,
    It’s one thing to do what you’re talking about which is to analyze a problem — that’s fun and inteesting. It often has the same results for me as it does for you.

    It’s another to argue why it’s a problem. “This happened and that’s causing this and I don’t have time . . . It’s a PROBLEM.” In other words, focusing on the problem as an issue in itself. :)

  3. October 1st, 2007 at 7:57 am
    Phil said

    Ah… I see now, don’t let an irritation become a problem if it can be a solution.

  4. October 1st, 2007 at 7:59 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey, Phil,
    You say what I mean better than I do. :)

  5. October 1st, 2007 at 8:44 am
    Robert Hruzek said

    Well, I was going to add a brilliant comment, but I can’t top Phil’s! Way to go, Buddy! :-)

  6. October 1st, 2007 at 10:50 am
    Lisa said

    Liz, what you just did is coach yourself though a process! Not a problem, a process. And you’re a brilliant coach. I hope everyone heard that…

    Someone wise once said to me, “If you were a fly on the wall, what would you be seeing?” Funny how looking for reasons for things can keep you stuck in the ox rut. The reasons are usually irrelevant, other than providing information for next steps.

    This is really good learning today.

  7. October 1st, 2007 at 11:04 am
    Ruth said

    When faced with problems, whether related to your business or personal life. Learn not to listen, but to hear, what others – collegues, coaches, clients, your inner-self, that always knows the truth, even if you choose to ignore it, your friends and family – are suggesting in the way of solutions. Hearing and acting when armed with clear feedback might just be one road to solid problem solving.

  8. October 1st, 2007 at 12:13 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Robert!
    I think that you already knew what I was talking about. That’s how you could recognize the value of what Phil Said. :)

  9. October 1st, 2007 at 12:14 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Lisa!
    Well, thank you! I’m always checking if what I’m doing is making matters worse for me. Obviously this time I found that I surely was. :)

  10. October 1st, 2007 at 12:34 pm
    James said

    They say problems are opportunities. Now if I had learned to look at math problems that way…I’d probably be a physics professor or something.

  11. October 1st, 2007 at 12:42 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi James!
    I think we have exactly the right number of those. I’m glad you are exactly who you are. :)

  12. October 1st, 2007 at 6:55 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Ah Ruth#7
    I love what you said.

    learn not listen, but to hear.

    If only I would learn to pay more attention to what it is that I am really saying. :)

  13. October 1st, 2007 at 9:12 pm
    gp said

    every problem is an opportunity in workclothes… perspective!???

    gp in montana

  14. October 1st, 2007 at 9:14 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Oh GP!

    You sure got that “work clothes” part right!

  15. October 2nd, 2007 at 12:59 am
    Mother Earth said

    sometimes for me if the problems are bigger than me, I have to grow to face and solve them – when I can see that for all that it is “this problem is out of my league” it’s such a relief to declare it

    and then the listening starts

    as so aptly described above

    the answers find their way

    other times I declare I don’t know how to solve this one – and then ask a question – the answers always come when I ask. If I don’t ask then the answers don’t arrive –

    sometimes a simple thing like clutter on a surface might be more about not knowing where something should go – when I ask where should these 6 cd’s go for safe and organized keeping– a solution will find it’s way to me

    to some this might seem like clutter procrastination

    because the answer might not come for weeks – ha!!

    yet when it comes the desk clutter is completely resolved – all will have it’s designation

    I think I have more “help” than I give creedance to !!

    I also think I have to ask a lot more questions

    Mother Earth
    http://www.bestwellnessconsultant.com

  16. October 2nd, 2007 at 4:50 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mother Earth!
    Isn’t it amazing? The mosdt poweerful ideas and answers are always the simplest and the most obvious, yet we need to be reminded of them . . . at least I do.

    The best way to answer a question is to ask.

    Yep.

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