The Art of Problem Solving in Ten Easy Steps

It takes only a minute of watching the news or listening to our Presidential Candidates vie for our votes, to become astutely aware that problems exist all around us. We are faced with them on large and small scales, at home, work, in our communities and in our world. Basically the bad news is... we cannot escape problems. Not such an uplifting message huh? But, here is what we can do; we can learn to solve them, both big and small, by approaching them with the right attitude.

This ten-step process is guaranteed to produce results. Remember to have fun and brainstorm each stage to construct a dynamic list of best possible outcomes!

Break it Down

Often times when we pause long enough, we can see that problems, like most things, can be broken down into smaller parts than the whole. All problems are structured around two common characteristics: desirable outcomes and obstacles or barriers.

Change the Lens

The "p" word alone makes a negative impression on those who encounter it, yet, what do we know about looking at something through the lens of negativity? A growing body of research suggests by changing our language about the problem we can actually change our thoughts and behaviors.

For instance, refer to the "problem" as a "challenge" or even an "opportunity," using language like this often encourages us to approach the notorious "p" word from an angle of creativity.

Define the Problem Clearly

This is oftentimes an overlooked step in the problem solving process. In order to fully understand the challenge, we need to take the time to understand everyone's perception or experience of the problem. Every team member or person who comes in contact with the problem may experience it differently. Therefore, before we can begin to comprehend the situation we need to realize how far reaching it is and the impact it has on everyone.

Use Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking skills are very important to problem solving, yet, research has pointed to a decline in critical thinking skills over the past decade. With information so readily available on our digital devices, we can fall victim to allowing our phones, computers and I-Pads to do our thinking for us rather than engage that part of our brain.

Symptoms of the problem are just that... don't allow yourself to be caught up in the "weeds" of symptoms associated with the problem either, instead, look for the root cause or causes.

Define the Ideal

So, what is the "ideal" solution to the problem? What must the solution accomplish or take care of to be considered a great solution? If you have engaged this process methodically, this should be a relatively easy step as you will have determined the parameters of the problem and the problem will have been defined through the examination of critical thinking with all angles thoroughly explored. Therefore, by the time you arrive at this step, you will be able to recognize the "ideal" solution or solutions.

Determine the Obstacles

This is yet another step in the problem solving process I often times see overlooked. Obstacles have to be considered.

By allowing time to take each identified solution and "brainstorm" through all the worst case scenarios, we are literally fire testing our solution and making sure it can hold up under pressure. This process is critical and will save a huge amount of time and effort in the end.

Make a Choice

The question to ask yourself here is, given your understanding and definition of the problem, what provides the best possible solution at the "current time" under the "present circumstances?" The reason the preceding words are bolded here is to call attention to the fact that solutions may change over time and be rendered ineffective based on a new set of circumstances. For this reason, it is always good form as a leader to continually monitor and evaluate processes to assure optimal levels of performance.

Set Deadlines

All of the preceding steps are rendered useless and ineffective if time is not taken to formulate a plan and set "by when" times for completion of processes.

Once a solution has been selected, implementation rests on identifying what needs to done, by when and by whom. Setting a series of short-term deadlines and developing a schedule for reporting helps the project stay focused and on track.

Measure Outcomes

An ongoing assessment process is crucial. Steer away from becoming attached to a solution as it may need to be tweaked or completely overhauled based on the results it is producing.

Action Everyone

The short answer here is... MOVE. Get going and create some momentum. Momentum generates the energy to produce your desired outcome. The two key words here are, be "consistent" and "persistent." And, if at any given time you run into an unidentified obstacle, pause long enough to reevaluate your solution to make sure you are on the right track.

Destiny by Design or Default... the choice is yours!


http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Art-of-Problem-Solving-in-Ten-Easy-Steps&id=9341379

Toward A Complaint-Free Life

                   

"When you complain, you make yourself a victim. Leave the situation, change the situation, or accept it. All else is madness." - Eckhart Tolle

Complaining, griping, kvetching - we all do it, right? Complaining can be a habit and, for most of us, it's pretty easy to get others to commiserate with us. It can even feel anti-social not to join in someone else's bitch session. But is complaining really a habit worth continuing?

Facebook Memories reminded me I had engaged in a complaint-free week in 2011. It was an interesting and revealing week. Here's a recap:

Day #1. For the next seven days, I'm committed to living a Complaint-Free life. Zero tolerance for complaining or blaming.

[I got the idea from Will Bowen, the founder of an organization called A Complaint Free World. I posted my commitment and invited Facebook friends to join in.]

Day #2. It's natural to notice things we don't like. That's the contrast that inspires desire. The contrast also sets up a crossroads. We can complain and attract more of what we don't like OR we can make peace with what-is, focus on what we prefer and attract more of the good stuff.

[I get to choose how I respond and it matters very much what I choose. As A Course in Miracles proclaims, "I could choose love instead!" Or fun... or joy... or... ]

Day #3. I notice my tendency to complain when I have to wait - at the chiropractor's office, checking out at the grocery store, etc. I'm wondering - Is complaining a response to feeling powerless?

[It may feel like I'm taking my power back when I complain, but complaining actually lowers my vibration and exacerbates my feeling of powerlessness.]

Day #4. The weather forecast calls for a high of 108 here in Austin. Rather than complaining about the heat, I intend to appreciate the air conditioning and imagine cool crisp fall weather coming.

[Myneighbor was bemoaning the heat wave that day and I responded that I'd love to join in but I had committed to a complaint-free week. We both laughed.]

Day #5. I bet if we REALLY got it that we create our own reality, instead of complaining about a reality we don't like, we'd get busy creating a reality we prefer.

[Complaining only brings us more to complain about.]

"Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle." - Benjamin Franklin

Day #6. If I say it's too damn hot or this traffic sucks or why did she cut my hair so short, I'm complaining. If I say it's really hot, there's a lot of traffic today, she sure cut my hair short this time, I'm noticing. One is a complaint and one is an observation. And the vibrational difference is huge.

[This was a fun realization. I can notice what-is without complaining about it.]

Day #7. Calls to customer service departments have often been less than a cakewalk for me so I set a strong intention before calling AT&T today. It worked! I sailed through the entire call without complaint and proved that - with the right attitude - I can enjoy every moment of this physical life experience.

[How empowering to know that it's possible to enjoy any situation. Well, if not enjoy, at least accept.]

Revisiting my Complaint-Free Week reminded me:

*how much easier it is to maintain a high vibration when I refuse to give in to blaming and complaining.

*I can always choose a better feeling response.

*instead of complaining about a reality I don't like, I can focus on the reality I prefer and, thus, create a better feeling experience.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Toward-A-Complaint-Free-Life&id=9522993

Beating Burnout: How to Overcome the Career Blues

Burnout is a common phenomenon in most industries, especially for highly dedicated and driven professional. If you've put all of your energy and time into a project or a job, it often can wear on you, especially if you don't see results right away. You may be tempted to quit, but don't give up just yet. There are many coping strategies that you can use when you are feeling burnt out that can help you get back on track.

Take a (short) break.

The best-known strategy for dealing with burnout is to just take a break. Although it is essential to take a break in order to recharge, many people don't approach the break with the right attitude and then end up experiencing burnout again. Your break should be short but very productive. Take a few days away from work and avoid using your phone or laptop for work purposes. Approach the break with the idea that you are going to do things that make you feel better, instead of just sleeping or watching TV. You might plan a weekend trip, go for a hike, meet up with close friends, or do something else positive that will make you feel better.

Remember what inspired you in the first place.

Everyone at one point likely had a moment when they realized this was the career for them. Go back to that moment and try to remember what sparked your curiosity about this profession. Did you read an article or watch a video that got you hooked? Whatever it was, thinking back on it can help you remember why you got started and push you to keep working towards your desired outcomes.

Determine the cause of the burnout.

In order to recover from burnout, you first need to identify what caused it. Some people experience burnout because they have taken on too much work and feel overwhelmed, while others feel burnt out because they feel dissatisfied with their work. Determine what the cause was for you and then identify concrete steps you can take to address it so it doesn't happen again.

Make a detailed plan.

Once you've taken a break and decide it's time to go back to work, create a very detailed plan for yourself that will help you manage your workload and take concrete steps to improve and feel satisfied with your work. This can help you avoid burnout again in the future, because if you start to feel like your career isn't going anywhere, you have a plan to turn to.

Although burnout can be incredibly frustrating, taking action to work through it can help you get your career back on track. Once you've worked through your first case of burnout, you will likely develop a new appreciation for your work that will help you stay motivated in the future.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Beating-Burnout:-How-to-Overcome-the-Career-Blues&id=9515536

Breaking The Scarcity Mindset That Kills Your Success

Does scarcity thinking really sabotage success?

The current default setting ingrained in most of humanity seems to be one that's deeply rooted in lack and hardship. Many of us are mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically living in a place of such great struggle that even when a brilliant opportunity shows up we aren't able to see or cease it to our benefit.

There's a very debilitating idea running in the background of many people, carrying this belief that life is a struggle and things always have to be hard. So when something awesome comes along, this belief in hardship prevents them from taking the necessary action or even considering some new risks because in their minds, they've already settled on a "hard" and negative outcome.

If we have chosen to live life from this awareness, it's going to be hard to produce the desired results because new results require new methods and approaches yet how can we embark on something new with the right attitude if we already believe that it's going to be hard or that it might not work out? The irony of such a belief is that life never fails to prove us right.

This is a classic case of scarcity thinking running a person's mind, which means their entire life and financial decisions will work to reflect the same. Scarcity thinking certainly sabotages your success as well as your ability to create new breakthroughs whether personal or professional. Whenever you find a team that has a long losing history, even when they have a chance to secure a new victory, the old patterns seem to kick in and they fall short yet again. It's really hard to break the cycle of losing in the same way it's really hard to break the cycle of winning hence the common saying that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. But does this also apply in your life?

Absolutely... Your life conditions are all subject to the thought patterns that run in the background of your mind. We all operate based on our paradigms and although paradigms are good and necessary, when neglected or not upgraded over time, they can become our own worst enemies.

Breaking The Scarcity Mindset:

If you haven't been actively renewing your mind, it's likely that the current paradigms you have around the most important subject relative to your life, are all limited and outdated.

Personally I think we are spending way too much time talking about the problems that we want to overcome in life, describing them in details, dissecting them, trying to figure out where they came from and at times even talk down at those who conditioned us into said beliefs. This to me is just adding injury to the wound and it doesn't resolve anything. Those who influenced you and gave you the current beliefs that keep you stuck only did the best they knew how with the awareness they had. Replaying old memories doesn't help you in any way, if your goal is to move forward and create more success in your life. My suggestion to you from now on is simply this:

• Find out if you have an active scarcity mindset (all you need to do is look around your life and the manifested conditions in the area of your finances, health, relationships, work and your interaction with life). It won't be hard to figure out whether you live in the presence of abundance and prosperity or the absence of it. If still unsure, check out the list I made on the signs and symptoms of a scarcity mindset as I discuss this subject in greater detail there.

• Take action immediately and learn how to renew and retrain your mind so it can be more tuned into abundance and prosperity. The mind's natural state is prosperity and abundance but if it's been exposed to lack for too long, some work must be individually done by you as soon as possible, because your mind is what determines the level of success you will enjoy.

Listen, there will always be many variables on all things in the business world and in life but there's always going to be only one determining factor that makes or breaks the deal - you! A renewed mind is what breaks the scarcity paradigms and lack consciousness.

• Let go of past history as well as the need to blame others, issue judgment or even victimize or hate on yourself once you discover that you dwell in an awareness of lack and shortage. Going back to what I said before, it doesn't really matter what happened in the past, whether it was wrong or right for society to believe so much in lack, for our parents to train us into scarcity awareness etc... All these things don't matter, the only thing that matters is what are you now willing and committed to doing in order to stop killing your efforts of success?

• Build your faith. I don't mean blind faith but faith based on understanding. One of the best ways to break scarcity thinking is to gain right understanding of the laws that govern our success. But even more essential and empowering is learning about the law of our being and your real identity.

You see it will always be impossible for you not to be sucked into that feeling of lack and limitation if you don't establish a solid and real foundation of a higher awareness. Knowing the truth, and I do mean really knowing the truth about who you are, what you're capable of, what you have access to and what you already have, is the only way to ensure you don't kill your success when threats of lack and shortage show up.

Only true faith can help you accomplish this effortlessly so rather than placing your efforts on fighting the scarcity mindset or taking massive action in some way to get rid of the limiting beliefs that have been sabotaging you - just try this new approach, seek truth and the right guidance and watch how ready life is to help you manifest greater success.

Struggle will never be the way to create more success in life. That battle will never be won through struggle, if it had been the answer the battle should have been over long ago isn't it? So why not try another approach, a different method, which is often the path less travelled.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Breaking-The-Scarcity-Mindset-That-Kills-Your-Success&id=9364362

Tips To Stay Focused On Your Goals This Year

Most people begin the year with new resolutions or goals, unfortunately only a few achieve them. In fact, new studies reveal that less than 10% of people who set goals achieve them. What does this small category of people do differently? One reason people fail to achieve their goals is because they lack focus. With so many activities competing for our attention it is easy to be distracted from those productive ones that directly impact on our goals, positively. Here are three suggestions on how you can focus on your goals this year to ensure that you achieve them.

Carefully think through your goals 

As much as you need to be realistic, you should also be sincere with yourself. What is the real reason behind the goals you have set? For instance, why do you want to travel to at least 10 countries before the first quarter? Is it a borrowed goal? In what ways would it benefit you? Do you have all the necessary resources? By honestly examining your motives, you find strong convictions to keep you going even as things get tough. Also, you would be more willing to dedicate your resources towards achieving them.

Be accountable 

Another way you can stay focused on your goals this year is through accountability. One way of being accountable is by collaborating with people with the same goals as you. For instance, if you plan to increase your savings, you could join a transparent, well structured group established for that purpose. Most traders use this means to achieve their financial goals. You could also share your plans with people you know have succeeded in the area of your focus and ask them to keep you accountable. By doing so, you would benefit from their valuable experiences and much needed encouragements. Some people turn to the internet community for accountability purposes, by blogging on their journeys, for example. Staying focused on your goals requires commitment; being accountable makes the whole process a bit easy.

Develop the right attitude 

What happens when your zeal fades or when you are confronted with threats, most, beyond your control? Will you quit or will you still forge ahead? People who achieve their goals actually factor in these events, and when they happen don't abandon their plans. Find new ways to inspire yourself. Let the progress you would have made, no matter how little inspire you. Rather than focus on the challenges you will face, think of new ways to solve them. You need to develop the right attitudes of persistence, diligence and strong determination to pull through.

When we focus on our goals to achieve them, we place ourselves in a position where we are more in control of our lives. However, what is equally as important as what we achieve is who we become in the process - self confident, driven and focused people will conveniently take on more challenging tasks.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-To-Stay-Focused-On-Your-Goals-This-Year&id=9311270

How I Changed My Environment So That I Could Reach Success

Successful people are aware that at some point, if they wish to reach success then they needed to shake things up a little and change their environment to take it to the next level. They adjust the sails, follow their compass or take the better lane as they are approaching “that fork stuck in the road”. Sheldon shares the crucial moments and the decisions that he made while he was chasing his dreams of a better life, and how important it is to position yourself in a better environment for success.

Enjoy! – Joel Brown | CEO & Founder of Addicted2Success

Changing Your Environment To Reach Success

“I wanted to grow, not that I did not have a good job, I was now a member of Senior staff, I travelled, I had a small staff report to me, a car, benefits. I represented the company at International Conferences, where I learned lots. But during these Conferences my mind was opened from meeting all these former and present entrepreneurs and leaders, they fuelled my hunger with their stories:

A mind once expanded with knowledge cannot return to its former way of thinking

I found myself seeking new opportunities within the company, and getting cut short at each turn, but I didn’t give up, I expanded within my limits till I was stuck, nowhere to go.

Then, one day I got a casual call for a problem one of my junior staff couldn’t fix, but, it was after hours. I did the usual and started sorting the customer out. Suddenly the customer complained of the time, and asked could we continue tomorrow, I said no problem (tomorrow would take us into the weekend). He agreed to call me when he was set.

The next day at about noon the call came, we had a friendly chat until I solved the problem, It lasted the lunch hour or so. We spoke about my Family, Me, what I had done in life etc. When I solved his problem, he told me his business partner was experiencing a similar issue, could he let him call me this weekend also. I agreed.

Sunday at around 1PM his partner called, the call was similar, relaxing chit-chat etc, problem solved, by that time the call had gone to first name basis. and he invited, or rather demanded that I meet them for a drink after working hours on Tuesday. I agreed that we would confirm at noon Tuesday.

Tuesday, We all met at a popular hangout spot for the more affluent. I was introduced to a few businessmen that I knew from seeing them in the news. We sat had a few drinks, then these men explained the weekend to me. They had been looking to recruit someone to become and Executive, who works beyond the call, had the right attitude, understood the importance of building relationships and conversation, and had a burning ambition, they chose me. If I said “Yes” they would teach me to be an Executive, a Businessman, If I chose “No’ I could now choose from 2 options, get up and leave, or stay around them spend some time and learn, maybe I would change my mind. (I could not afford to hangout with these guys, this place is too pricey even for my salary). I chose to seize the opportunity after I was fully explained the risk.

The risk was “leave your job and help us build this opportunity”, and if it works you will be at the top of the game, if it fails, you will lose everything, except the experience and our friendship. It failed and I lost exactly almost everything, I did gain an insatiable hunger, and invaluable experience, I felt like I completed a Doctorate in Entrepreneurship, Thinking Big, Leadership and Execution.

The old job was there, I turned it down, I started building my own Company, I wanted to be an enhanced version of these same guys. I kept rubbing shoulders with them 3 times weekly.

One day I looked back and realized that everything changed, my perspective, goals, desires, speech, decisions, friends. My optimism was now permanent, my dress (I bought less party clothing), I ate better food, and less food, I stopped going to many parties, and chose carefully what events I attended, I read more books, I began to think, act and behave like one of them, a CEO/Business Owner. Life felt enriched. My older friends treated me a different respect. Most importantly I became more humble, respectful, open-minded and charged to go every single morning, while attracting International business opportunities and friends.

It came full circle when my first venture needed the services of one of these impeccable gentlemen, and over a drink, we arranged for me to meet his CEO. When I arrived that morning, the way I was greeted was my first instalment into my new world, I led the discussion and terms were accepted and agreed upon. We went out for a drink to celebrate the partnership. My friends were there, I secretly asked if they engineered the deal behind the scene, the answer was “No”. They said it was all me, and they saw no need to help, since they admire how I handle myself, and that they consider me as “One of the Boys”. We don’t hangout every week anymore, but once monthly we connect, sometimes laugh at my growth, and praise and encourage each other along our separate ventures, share trade secrets and tips.

The change was natural, and such an important part of the process to my Success. I now own or partly own 2 International Companies, and lead all group negotiations. My hunger, passion, goals grow with the more I learn. I slipped a couple of times, I look around and see that like in the story of Peter walking on water, I took my eyes off the prize, and strayed mentally into the wrong environment, and quickly adjust my GPS.

Many lessons were learned, many more to learn, success is a journey, I am enjoying mine. I did learn that most important to my success was the people I spent time with, I started reading, speaking, thinking like them, and they were all Successful International Businessmen, I learned that if you focus on your goals and commit to them, the Universe will bring you the right people to help you manifest your vision!”

http://addicted2success.com/success-advice/how-i-changed-my-environment-so-that-i-could-reach-success/