Problem solving. How to solve the problem Principle four: get rid of fear

When you need to make an amazing report, increase the company's profits, or find your calling, template solutions do not work. Creative thinking is required. But where to get it? Molecular biologist and author of The Flexible Mind, Estanislao Bahrah, argues that creativity can be pumped up like biceps. Here are five exercises that will help you "build muscle" and solve any non-standard problem.

Exercise 1. Five Whys

To solve the problem, it is necessary to clearly formulate it and get to the very essence. This will help 5 "why".

For example: our task is to increase the sales of french fries.

1. Why do people prefer competitors' fries over ours? Because it tastes better.

2. Why is it tastier? Because their seasonings are better than ours.

3. Why are their seasonings better than ours? Because their chef is the best.

4. Why is our chef worse? Because we considered the change of chef to be unimportant, and for twenty years now we have been working with an incompetent employee.

5. Why haven't we hired a new chef yet? Because no one dared to offer it to the owner.

Ask your "why" and look for answers to them. Sometimes they are the solution to the problem in and of themselves.

Exercise 2. Stupid questions

When the mind compares a task to something out of the ordinary, it tries to make sense of the connection. This is how new connections are formed that lead to a futuristic, non-standard, creative idea.

To stimulate your imagination, ask yourself some "stupid" questions.

What animal is similar to my problem? How is my problem similar to a flashlight without batteries? If the problem was a lawn in a garden, what would become a weed? How can you use a can of soda that has stood in the sun for two hours to solve a problem?

Fantasize to offer the most original answer. Don't try to come up with something smart, just have fun. Write down the answers. Reread them and think about how they can help solve your problem.

Exercise 3. Three stories

Stories work wonders. -

1. Imagine: you are in a distant country. Write short story about this place. How would you handle a creative challenge there?

2. Imagine that you live in a different historical era. Write down how you would solve the creative problem then.

3. Write a science fiction story based on a creative challenge.

Reread each story looking for associations and clues to solve your problem.

Exercise 4

The more emotionally connected you are to the problem, the more likely you are to come up with a non-standard idea.

Use your senses to visualize the final solution to the problem.

For example, you need to figure out how to present a report to the CEO. Close your eyes and think about what the perfect report looks like. What do you feel when you touch it? How does it sound? What smells? What does it taste like? Explore each sensation and think about how to achieve this in life.

Exercise 5. The Road of Ideas

Insights are like a mobile phone ringing at a party: it is not heard against the background of the general noise. To recognize the voice of the subconscious, you need to relax.

Right now, close your eyes, lie down on the floor, and let go of your imagination. Focus on your breathing. You will feel how the mind is captured by a variety of thoughts. Don't fight them, let them run free. Then imagine the path that thoughts take.

The black stripe can become a takeoff

We all face problems from time to time. Sometimes some situations and circumstances seem hopeless to us. I want to run away, close, forget everything that happened. But is it worth it?

After all, then the lesson will be repeated again. There is another way to get into a problem, think about it day and night, shed tears, pour it over, drink it or eat it, in general, disguise it with something. And find the culprit!

Complaining about the problem and looking for someone to blame will also only take away our strength and energy and lead us away from solving the problem.

It is also important to remember that the more we resist, the more the situation will escalate and become more complicated.

Need to find a way out! And it's better not to be alone. As the saying goes, There are at least three favorable exits from any hopeless situation..

What are the ways to solve problems, and how to choose the most suitable one, or maybe combine them?

1. View from the side.

This method involves an independent search for information. Throughout history, man has found solutions to a great many problems. And he recorded the results of his decisions on material media: papyrus, paper, stone, computer.

When solving a problem, it is advisable, first of all, to independently turn to sources of endless information.

2. Contact a specialist.

We live in a society, we are surrounded by thousands of people, each of whom is an expert in some field. Psychologist, tarot reader, astrologer, coach, psychic, there are even problem solvers.

The problem solver differs from them only in that he works with problems that require not extensive knowledge and great experience in a narrow area, but only quick wit, accuracy, common sense, some basic ideas, general skill in working with problems. and, of course, inspiration.

Undoubtedly, someone has already encountered the problem that you have. Most likely, they have already been solved by someone, and many times.

The work of a professional saves you time and nerves, but a good professional is expensive, and dependence on a psychologist can develop when a person has not solved his problems, and does not solve them.

3. Ask for help from people close to you.

This way of solving problems is one of the most traditional. The method is quite reliable, since these are people with whom you enjoy communication. Often such communication can reassure, give support.

Tell your family, friends, people you really trust. They will always be ready to help - with advice, deed. This is much better than drowning in negative thoughts and experiences.

This is a good opportunity to get an "outside view". The main thing is not to be intrusive and always be ready to provide such assistance yourself.

4. Change focus.

Often we are too close and too emotionally involved in a problem to see and appreciate it from a good perspective. Try to look at the problem as an outside observer. With a wider view, you will see more possibilities.

Often we think about the problem, savor it in the brain, focus on it, but it is not solved. We try to decide with the mind, drowning out intuition. In order for it to be solved, it is necessary to remove attention from the problem, remove importance.

The contents of automatic writing are very often drawings, incomprehensible signs, circles and, of course, texts.

All you have to do is write down whatever comes to mind. This should be done from 20 minutes to an hour. The main meaning and purpose of the process of automatic writing is to surrender to the flow of sensations you perceive.

Understanding the problem and a way out of it will come in the letter itself.

6. Ho'oponopono.

Hooponopono is the ancient Hawaiian art of problem solving. Translated from the Hawaiian language, the word "hooponopono" means "correct a mistake" or "put everything in its place." There are four statements that you must repeat over and over again, non-stop:

"I'm really sorry".

"Please forgive me".

"I love you".

"Thank you".

If you don't like something in another person, then it is in you too. Your job is to get rid of it. When you succeed, the other person will also change.

When you use Ho'oponopono, you are not clearing a person, place, or event, but neutralizing the energy associated with that person, place, or event. The advantage of this method is that everything happens inside you, no intermediary is needed.

7. Constellations.

This method was developed by the German psychotherapist Bert Hellinger. Arrangement is an effective method that allows you to easily and visually identify the problem.

Using this method, it is possible to discover the reasons that bind a person to a certain system of relations, limit freedom of action and impede personal development, preventing him from building his own life.

With the help of the arrangement, you can analyze what is happening to you, find an effective solution in your situation and

8. Reincarnation.

« If there is a problem, you need to dive deep into it. Then you will either find the treasure, if it is there at all, or you will find a single void there. In both cases, you will be rich.

Finding a treasure will naturally make you rich. Finding emptiness, you end it all”, - this is Osho as if about reincarnation.

It is immersion in oneself, in one's memories, that this method presupposes. There can be no other people's answers, ready-made solutions. Reincarnation is looking for the root of the problem, and through time and space. And then it's up to the small - the decision.

Vladimir Zhikarentsev:

If we have the strength to create a problem or illness in our lives, then we have the strength to solve that problem.

Remembering past lives , you will realize that you have dealt with a similar problem more than once, and if not, then you will realize what result the approach that you have already used has led to. Perhaps the recurring situation lasts for more than one life.

Often the problem is that the block stores a resource, creativity, the very treasure, having discovered which, you will no longer be the same. And no matter where and when you left it, it is yours, and you can use it at any time.

All you need to use this problem-solving method is trust in yourself, a good guide, and the Internet.

Reincarnation also involves self-help, self-immersion, which means you yourself can become a problem solver and help others.

There is always a way out. And the most amazing thing is that you know it. You know how to solve the most difficult problem, how to find a way out of the most difficult and confusing situation.

It is possible and necessary to learn from problems, to create and discover those opportunities that otherwise would not be revealed.

Descartes square

An ideal method for solving any problems that scare you. The fact is that we too often get stuck on one single question: “What will happen if this happens?” This makes it difficult to find a solution, because you look at the problem from only one side. Descartes' square is the simplest technique that allows you to find a solution in a matter of minutes. So, draw a square on a piece of paper. Divide it into four parts. Write a question for each section.

What will happen if this happens?

What happens if this does NOT happen?

What will NOT happen if this happens?

What will NOT happen if this does NOT happen?

Answer all four questions, and the solution to the problems will come by itself. Simply because you will consider the situation from four sides.

automatic writing

A method that will require you time and patience, but the results can overwhelm you. The essence of the method is very simple: you just need to take a pen, paper (a lot of paper!) and start writing. There is no need to pre-formulate the questions to be answered. The essence of automatic writing is to turn off the consciousness and allow the subconscious to come out. So, you need to stay alone in a calm environment. Grab a pen and paper and start writing whatever comes to your mind. Do not stop. You will need a lot of time - from 20 minutes to an hour. At some point, you will really start to write completely automatically, that is, you will stop thinking about what exactly you are writing. Then all you have to do is read what you have written. Most likely, you will find the answer to all your questions. But the truth is, it might surprise you.

Focus change

It is impossible to objectively consider the problem, being inside. Asking outside observers for advice is also pointless, because they have not been inside the problem and have no idea what it really is. Actually, there is only one way out - you yourself need to become an "outsider". There is only one way to do this, literally running away from the problem. Feet. The next step is to relax! The thing is, if you just walk away, you won't stop thinking about the difficult situation. Time can help here (which you most likely do not have) or strong impressions - better positive ones, of course. You need to repress your emotions. After you have removed yourself from the problem both physically and emotionally for a while, you can return to it as an “outside observer”. This will help to look at the situation with different eyes and find ways to solve problems.

Contacting a specialist

If you are completely confused, relatives will most likely suggest that you contact a psychologist. And you probably won't go to him. Because who knows how to look for a good specialist. And then, it takes time and money, which also may not be available. What is really important to understand is this: you need to look at the problem through someone else's eyes. That is why a friend who knows about the problem will not help you; mother who knows you perfectly will not help; and even more so, the person who is inside the same problem will not help. There is no need to be afraid of psychologists. No need to look for the best specialist in the world - it is likely that you will only need a couple of sessions. And you need to be prepared for the fact that the specialist will not give you any advice, but this is not necessary. The very opportunity to state the essence of the problem stranger helps to look at it as if through someone else's eyes.

Brainstorm

The good old way of solving problems - you probably turned to it more than once. “Consult a friend” is it. But in fact, the more "brains" will be involved, the better. You need a group of people willing to help you, a place where you can gather, and time to go through all the options. This method is not very suitable for solving deeply personal problems. But if it's a situation where you feel stuck, brainstorming is the perfect method. Because none of your friends will offer you a suitable solution right away. It will be born by itself, in the process.

mammoth eating

“You can even eat a mammoth if you eat it in parts” - this is, in fact, the whole essence of the method. You don’t even need to butcher this “mammoth”, because you will be mired in a new problem - how best to do it. Imagine that you are a predator, in front of you is the carcass of a mammoth. Come and bite. That is, do not look for some single right way to solve the problem, try to approach it from different angles and “bite off” a little. That is, to make a small effort, one that does not strain you too much and does not frighten you. In this way, you will feel the problem from all sides - this is the first thing. And secondly, an understanding will gradually come, from which side it is still better to solve it.

Whether it's the choice of a new gadget, a relationship with a partner, or a new boss that's too demanding, you have four ways to get rid of this feeling:

• change yourself and your behavior;
• change the situation;
• get out of the situation;
• change your attitude towards the situation.

Undoubtedly, there is another option to leave everything as it is, but this is definitely not about solving the problem.

Well, the list is over. No matter how hard you try, you can't think of anything else. And if you want to think about how to proceed, then I suggest doing the following steps.

Action algorithm

1. State the problem in the first person

The problems “The world has not yet created the gadget that I need”, “He does not care about me” and “The boss is a beast, demands the impossible” are insoluble. But the problems “I can’t find a gadget that meets my criteria”, “I feel unhappy because my partner does not care about me” and “I can’t do what my boss requires of me” are quite workable.

2. Analyze your problem

Start with the four solutions presented above:

You may find that you would like to combine several of them, for example, change your attitude towards a situation and then change your behavior. Or maybe you will first consider several ways to choose from. This is fine.

4. After choosing one, two or even three ways, brainstorm yourself

Take a sheet of paper and a pen. For each method, write as many solutions to the problem as possible. At this stage, discard all filters (“indecent”, “impossible”, “ugly”, “shameful” and others) and write down everything that comes to mind.

For example:

For inspiration:

• Imagine a person whom you respect and who would definitely be able to help you. What solutions would he suggest?
• Ask friends and acquaintances for help: brainstorming in the company is more fun.

Choose the most appropriate for you in this situation.

6. Answer the following questions for yourself

• What do I need to do to make this decision a reality?
• What can stop me and how can I overcome it?
• Who can help me do this?
• What will I do in the next three days to start solving my problem?

7. Take action!

Without real action, all this reflection and analysis is a waste of time. You will surely succeed! And remember:

A hopeless situation is a situation where you don't like the obvious way out.

Today I will share with you the technology of solving any life problems. It works even in cases where, at first glance, there are no solutions. Read this article to the end, I have prepared a gift for you.

When it comes to problems, one great anecdote comes to mind. At the interview, they ask the question: “What talents do you have?” The candidate thought about it and answered: “I have one talent: I can turn any elementary task into a hopeless situation with a bunch of problems.”

Most of humanity has this talent. In simple words, this is called "make an elephant out of a fly." Why is this happening? The main reason is an attempt to solve the problem while being in an excited emotional state. Remember the fragment from the film "Diamond Arm": Chief, everything is gone.

In 2008, when my wife was eight months pregnant, the head of the company I worked for announced the closure of the business. How? Why? Why now? Thoughts popped up in my head: “What now?” “How to repay a loan taken at 36% per annum?” “In a month to give birth, but there is no money and debts through the roof ...” How did this internal dialogue on emotions end? Three days of high blood pressure. Did I solve this problem by winding myself up to white heat. Of course not, I only increased it. What happened three days later? I calmed down and started solving this problem. First, I called all the suppliers and asked for help finding a suitable job option. Most of them automatically answered what they would mean (it is not clear: me, my situation or ...)

This incident gave me the opportunity to determine who is who in my environment. One person responded. His name is Dmitry, to whom I will be grateful until the end of my days. He introduced me to a wonderful and decent person, to my current business mentor Pavel Viktorovich, and a new round of my career and personal development began in my career.

Analyzing this situation now, I understand that when any problem arises, you need to ask yourself questions not “Why?”, But “For what?” Behind the solution of any problem, there is always the same or even greater opportunity.

I would like to say a few words about questions. Asking yourself an endless series of questions "Why?" You stir up emotions that overshadow all common sense. And you drive yourself into a dead end. Of course, you need to understand the reason for this obstacle, but the question should be formulated as follows: “What does this problem signal and what will its solution lead to?” Problems and obstacles are training.

How to give yourself first aid when the next test has come into your life. Usually everyone says: "Calm down, everything will be fine, etc." How to calm down? And what does it mean to calm down?

So, as soon as life throws you another challenge, you need to remember the "golden rule": "Never solve problems on emotions." Remember what happens to you when you face problems? The pulse quickens, the breathing goes astray, there is a mess in the head ... In other words, panic. A simple breathing exercise will help you calm down.

Take a deep breath, raising your hands up as if you are trying to absorb as much as possible into yourself and lower your hands as you exhale. Let's do this exercise together. As you do this, focus on your breath. Try to keep the inhalation and exhalation as long as possible and each of them took from 15 seconds to 30 seconds in time. Repeat as needed. The result of this exercise will be the normalization of the pulse and breathing and the readiness to move from the problem to its solution.

If this action does not help, go to plan "B". Set aside the problem and go for a walk in the fresh air. I'm quite serious ... The only exception: someone is ill and needs an immediate response. In all other cases, half an hour in the fresh air will bring benefits many times more than you will continue to sit and be stupid, not knowing what to do. Believe me, nothing fatal will happen in 30 minutes.

After the walk, start looking for a solution. The most wonderful exercise “Brainstorming” will help us with this. To do this, we need a pen and a sheet of paper. It can be done alone and with the help of other people.

What is it for? When a problem arises, it stands like a concrete wall in front of us and prevents us from seeing what opportunities lie behind it. Our task is to “push” this wall so that it becomes a bridge between the place where we are now and where we want to go. In other words, turn the problem into a subgoal.

The technology is very simple. Write your problem at the top of a piece of paper. Then start writing solutions to everything that comes to mind. Forget about all the possible and impossible, nonsense is not nonsense, real or not, do not edit, do not think, do not suppress the imagination, so you can miss the fun. Just get all your ideas down on paper. All ideas are good. Brainstorming helps to get rid of the "garbage" in the head and helps to believe that there is more than one way out of the situation. Nothing so excites us to action as the clarity of the direction of movement.

When you run out of ideas, choose a few options that excite you the most, even though they may be intimidating for their sheer magnitude. Do not remove other options. Try to find in them at least something that can help you.

When solutions are identified, write out a plan for achieving it and immediately begin targeted actions.

When any problem arises, you need to understand the main thing: “Never in our life there are problems beyond our strength and the fact that every problem hides the same or even greater opportunity.” This understanding will add confidence that you can handle any problem.

And now the promised gift. If you have a problem that you cannot solve on your own, voice it in the comments to this video and I will choose the three most interesting options and help you find solutions absolutely free of charge. If this problem really hurts you, hurry up.

That's all for today. Until we meet again, friends.