6
Embrace Probortunities
Problems are to the mind what exercise is to the muscles, they toughen and make strong.
Norman Vincent Peale
Developing a positive attitude toward problems can really help you to recover more quickly from life’s obstacles and improve your resilience. You can learn to respond to problems with enthusiasm and eagerness, rising to the challenge to show your stuff and actually amaze yourself with some of the results you can achieve! It is very much about how you view each situation.
I read something once that suggested that problems are opportunities with thorns on, which I thought was a rather good description. Let’s face it, we don’t exactly wake up in the morning hoping that we will experience problems. However, it is pretty inevitable that we will from time to time.
How you view problem solving is simply a matter of choice. You can, if you want to, view each problem as a giant rock in the road that is an insurmountable obstacle. Or you can work out ways to navigate your way around it.
I was delighted to find that a new word has been introduced into our vocabulary called probortunity. This inclusive word combines the word problem and opportunity to describe something you want to improve and change for the better. When faced with any problem at home or in the workplace, try replacing the word ‘problem’ with ‘opportunity’ and, rather than focus on the negatives, actively seek out all the solutions and possibilities. Become a possibilitarian!
Problem solving is an important life skill because it is also a very useful tool to help you tackle immediate challenges or achieve a goal. It is a skill because, once you have learnt it, you can use it repeatedly.
There are a variety of problem-solving processes. However, each process consists of a series of steps, including identifying an issue, searching for options and putting a possible solution into action. It is useful to view problem solving as a cycle because, sometimes, a problem needs several attempts to solve it, or the problem changes.
Here is a process that I recommend to help you break the problem into easier stages, rather than tackle everything all at once.
Problem solving is a skill, and applying a process which you can learn and practise will not just improve your ability. It is really important to review how you did and make a record of what worked and what didn’t so that you can learn and improve your problem-solving skills.
The more you actively and positively embrace some of the challenges that you will inevitably have to deal with in life, the better equipped and more confident you will become. This will provide you with the opportunity to gather a whole raft of experience that will help you to solve future problems. You will also be able to help other people by sharing some of your experiences.
Creativity is a great way for you to explore a wider range of options and to discover new things. It is a useful tool for solving problems, or for when you need to explore new and innovative ways of doing things. It is also something that you may need to do to in challenging economic times, in order to cut back on some of your overheads and save money.
Creativity is an inborn talent of all human beings, and one that can also be developed. It is our creativity that makes us distinct and sets us apart from other animals in this world. When we face challenges, and we are not able to solve them in a conventional way, we knowingly or unknowingly seek creative solutions. In fact, in many ways, the more creative we are the more successful we can be.
Whatever your profession is, creativity is something that can make you more successful and can also make our work easier and sometimes more exciting. By being open to exploring creative channels you can discover a whole range of options and new doors will open and opportunities will arise.
There are lots of different approaches to creativity. One tip I learnt a long time ago was to carry a small notebook with me, and to keep it by the side of the bed too. Often inspiration may strike in the night and it is really good to capture those little gems!
Another good way to let the creative juices flow is to take a walk outside. Fresh air is a great stimulant, and exercise is a good way to help you to release built-up tension so that your mind becomes more open and your ideas will flow.
Brainstorming (or ‘mind showers’ as they are sometimes called these days) can be an effective way to generate ideas on a specific topic. This technique is particularly useful when you involve others, and bringing together a group of people with different ideas and perspectives can be very enlightening.
There are many creative thinking tools that can be used. One creative technique that I think is really useful, to get a good well-rounded perspective on a creative idea, is Dr Edward De Bono’s thinking hats. This is a very popular method, where a team can take on different roles and adopt different thinking styles. Each role is identified with a coloured symbolic ‘thinking hat’. By mentally wearing and switching ‘hats’, you can easily focus or redirect thoughts and ideas.
Here is a brief overview of the different thinking styles:
Although this works very well with a group of people, you can also use it on your own by taking an idea that you have and analyzing it from each perspective. For example, if you are the eternal sunny optimist, sometimes wearing the darker pessimistic hat can help to give you a more balanced view.
Creativity can be a huge amount of fun, especially when you use methods like this. It can help you to explore things that you most likely have never experienced before.
It can, at times, take you out of your comfort zone and challenge you. However, it is also very good for you to use creative thinking to keep your brain fresh, stimulated and alert – so there are lots of benefits to this approach.
For some people, taking risks can be quite difficult, especially for those who like to stay well within their comfort zone, and they may well see creativity as change for change’s sake. On some occasions, they could well be right; however, until you are prepared to take some calculated risks, you will never know if there is a better or more efficient way of doing something.
We live in a very fast-paced world and, sometimes, we don’t allow ourselves time to think. Giving a lot of free time for your mind is an excellent approach. Putting some of your worries and tensions aside for some time every day is very important.
When we are relaxing, the mind is actually working and putting together things that we were thinking of throughout the whole day. It will come out with creative solutions only if we give it enough time and rest. Constantly pondering over endless problems keeps our minds occupied and prevents creativity. So managing your stress levels and de-cluttering your mind is key.
Getting stuck in one way of thinking and trying repeatedly the same methods is a common phenomenon among us. It is also the best way to go a little bit mad! If you have been churning something over and over in your mind and can’t seem to find a solution, attempt to stop thinking about it, relax and get engaged in something else for a while. You may well find that when you attend to the problem after some time, your mind views the problem in a different way and a solution may come along straight away!
Part of the pain of problem solving can be when we are put on the spot and have to make decisions. Very often there is uncertainty – where many facts may not be known – and you may have to consider many interrelated factors. There are decisions, too, that have high-risk consequences, and the impact of the decision might have important implications for you or for others.
Every given situation has its own set of uncertainties and consequences, and anything that involves interpersonal issues can often be challenging as it is difficult to predict how other people could respond.
All in all, decision making can be quite stressful, so the best way to make a complex decision is to use an effective process. A systematic approach will also lead you to consistent, high-quality results, and can improve the quality of almost everything you do. A logical and systematic decision-making process will help you to address the critical elements that result in a good decision. By taking an organized approach, you’re less likely to miss important facts and you can build on the approach to make your decisions better in the future too.
Here is a critical path that you can take when assessing each situation when you need to make a decision about something:
Problems really can be seen as opportunities, which could well provide you with a chance to get out of a rut you have been in for a while, or a chance to make a situation better. By embracing these probortunities it will help you to seek out innovative ways to deal with each one and you just never know what the rewards will be as a result.
If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.
Abraham Maslow