Have a huge work assignment that you are freaking out over? We don’t blame you, as these aspects of life can overwhelm even well-balanced individuals..
Lloyd Claycomb once had to scale a steep mountain to get to where he is in the Denver construction industry, but he overcame the problems facing him in the end. Having confronted them countless times over the decades, problem solving is a skill that can be built through practice.
He didn’t shrink away from the issues he faced, for if he did, his company would have faded in no time flat, and he would have not come close to earning the respect in the Denver construction community that he has in the present day.
Want to make your problems go away by solving them? By following our plan below, you’ll find intelligent action to be a better strategy than sticking your head in the sand.
1) Learn everything about the problem you are facing
Solving problems without regard to having a base level of knowledge about them is analogous to beating your head against the wall in a bid to get through it.
Sure, you could get lucky and solve your issue through random luck, but maybe it would be better to look for a sledgehammer or a door.
Learn as much as you can about the problem you are facing down, and the vague unease and fear you feel will melt away as quickly as it had built up within you.
It’s easy to be scared when you have no idea where to start. When you figure out a few key facts about your issue, things become so much easier as your confidence grows.
2) Divide the issue into easy to consume slices
How do you eat an elephant? Not all at once, unless you want to develop some serious heartburn. By cubing it up into more digestible portions, you’ll be able to work at it, bit by bit, until the big guy is 100% gone.
When you have a big project, don’t try to be a hero. You can’t get thousands of pages written in one night- that’s just science.
However, sitting down and getting started on the first one and knowing what you need to do to complete a specific phase will make the whole project finish up much sooner than you would ever expect.
3) Sit down and get’er done
Don’t sit on your plans due to fear over a possible outcome. Procrastination steals your dreams, one wasted second at a time. Just getting started, no matter how inadequate you feel, as it has a power to it that is difficult to describe.
Inertia can be your friend if you are able to keep moving. If you keep up the pace, you’ll be a force of nature that nobody will want to cross.
4) Learn from your mistakes and adjust
When you are getting stuff done, pay attention for any feedback that comes your way. Learn the lessons they offer you, and you’ll be able to keep blazing towards your goals.
If you are stuck in the mud, figure out what got you there, pull yourself out, and try a different possibility.