SOLVING PROBLEMS

The happiest and the unhappiest people I know
All have problems.
The happiest ones seem to know how to engage with their challenges;
The unhappy ones don't.
It could be said that one measure of our happiness
Lies in the ratio between how much we see ourselves as having problems
And how much we feel our problems have us.
Unhappy people don't have problems as much as
Their problems have them.
One of the main reasons for this impotence is
That we don't know what "the problem" really is;
We're victimised by what we don't know.
Most problems, be they social. marital, financial or otherwise,
Are the visible symptoms of deeper difficulties.

Tips that Work for Me

1. Define your problem clearly on paper.
2. List the obstacles standing in the way.
3. Take time to explore what the deeper underlying difficulties might be at other levels of your being. Unless you tackle the real causes, you will be living your version of "Groundhog Day".
4. Deliberately open your mind to let inspiration from other sources reach you. This is a bit like searching the internet for inspiration, rather than relying merely on files already stored on your computer for a solution. Your mind is a limited resource.
5. List any people and idea sources that might help you solve your problem. Remain open to alternative, non-traditional ways of engaging with it. Are there other logically unconnected disciplines or technologies that may have a good idea or two that may work in this context?
6. List as many possible courses of action that occur to you, no matter how implausible some of them may seem. Censor nothing at this point, and take your time for less logical ideas to pop.
7. Visualise possible results -- including best- and worse-case scenarios --  for each course of action. Allow more possible courses to suggest themselves.
8. Choose a course of action that appeals to you, and then pursue it. Adapt and incorporate anything that enhances your project from other alternatives you've considered. Have your plan, and be prepared to adapt. Stay with your action plan long enough for it to work, or for it to prove that it's not going to do the trick. If it finally doesn't work, do this exercise again in the light of what you've learned so far, and choose another.