By: Gregory Brown, MD/PhD Candidate
The way we deal with problems is a large part of our psyche. Many people enthusiastically confront problems in their life, big or small, and recognize the opportunity they provide to grow and develop as a person.
Others constantly lament the burden that life’s problems cause. They adopt a victim mentality and cannot fathom why these issues could be happening to them. Often it is not the problem itself, but how we react to problems that cause emotional strife and frame our outlook on life. By implementing a simple problem-solving process, we can begin to develop the skill set to tackle challenges head on, instead of letting small inconveniences derail our happiness.
The basic problem-solving technique has been disguised under many different headings. In the scientific community, we call it the experimental method. In engineering, it is termed the engineering process. But the 5 steps are always generally the same: define the problem, brainstorm solutions, develop a plan, execute the plan with constant revisions, and achieve success. We will discuss each step in more detail.
Define the Problem
How can you solve the problem, if you don’t know what it is? This is important to make sure you are aimed at the right target. Often times what we first perceive as the issue is not actually the root cause. Did your significant other come home late? Maybe it is not this issue, but stems from a constant inaccessibility to them. Also, this is the time to assess if the problem is actually a problem worth your time and energy to solve. Are you making a mountain out of a molehill? Some problems, although inconvenient and valid, are not significant enough to merit your efforts in solving them. And if you decide to not solve a problem, then you cannot spend valuable mental resources thinking about this non-problem. Those resources are better spent on more serious issues.
Brainstorm Solutions
There are no bad ideas when you are brainstorming. Often, we think of the solution before we have even really identified the problem. If you do this, go back to step 1. Big problems often require creative solutions, and the first solution is rarely the most creative. This is also where diversity comes into play. We naturally look at the problem through a singular lens. Bringing in a bunch of different perspectives can help. Once you’ve laid out multiple different options, weigh the pros and cons, and then make a decisive decision. Sometimes we can get paralyzed by all the options.
Develop a plan
Developing a plan is key in laying out how you want to execute your solution. The plan does not necessarily have to be linear from the beginning to the end. You could look at your goal and work backwards. Make sure to have the beginning and the end plans meet up at some point, though; that is often where the most confusion happens. Details are also important in the plan. They force you to consider the different pitfalls. Even if we know the plan is going to change, thinking about possible hurdles and alternative solutions is a valuable exercise to de-risking the plan.
Execute the plan with constant revisions
It is quite rare a plan works perfectly from start to finish, but this is where the growth occurs. Every minor hurdle provides an opportunity to take a step back, regroup, and find a way to overcome. This does not mean scrapping the whole plan. And definitely does not mean accepting failure. The art to problem solving is to solve the little problems along the way.
Achieve success
Success often looks very different in different situations. Sometimes near perfection is required, whereas other times just having a minimum viable product is sufficient. It is important to recognize when you achieved your bar for success. Don’t keep pushing when the job is complete. And always take a moment to debrief and recognize the accomplishment in achieving a task. Often, we are quick to move onto solving the next problem. But be sure to appreciate and celebrate being a problem solver.