Simple Universal Guide to Find Solution to Any Problem

Some people say that philosophy is useless but during my time of studies, I discovered a practical tool to apply in life.

It’s the ability to ask the right question. It serves me daily in problem-solving and solution-finding processes. From choosing what to wear to arranging the schedule for the next week I have no problem making a quick and effective decision.

This saves a lot of time and frustration making a problem an exciting project instead of a reason to procrastinate while there’s something that constantly bothers.

The principle of finding solutions may seem like common sense but it’s clear that not many people realize how to coach themselves into finding the solution.

This article will walk you through the theoretical part and give some practical examples so you can understand the principle well.

Step 1: Problem Identification

When something is off you have a specific gut feeling. Most people start to analyze and simultaneously think of a solution.

It’s a good but not a great start. Of course, you can come up with a good solution but that will take a lot of time and energy.

Instead of jumping to look for a solution you need to identify the problem.

Expression is powerful. Writing a problem down on a piece of paper makes it specific. The uncertain negative emotions turn into a defined problem.

The more specific you get in describing your problem the more obvious the solution becomes.

Let me surprise you: addressing the problem is probably 70% of the solution.

Don’t start by thinking of a solution to a problem you haven’t fully identified. If you can’t express it in words, it’s almost impossible to effectively solve it.

Step 2: Finding the Answer to the Problem

After addressing the issue you have to ask the right question. How can you counter it? What is it in your power to change that will help you to overcome the particular issue you’re facing?

Someone told me that my advice is not applicable to people in third world countries.

I appreciate the reasoning but I have to disagree.

Let’s say there’s a car mechanic living in the Sahara desert named Sam. He hates his job but that's the only way of earning some money to buy food for him and his family. Sam has a hobby that he loves with all of his heart. It’s creating art using natural materials to create colors.

The gut feeling tells the man that he’s not in the right place by being a car mechanic but there's no other job he can do to earn money. He’s stuck at being a mechanic. Everyone tells Sam to be happy to be able to earn money at all.

What’s the problem? That he can’t leave his job? That he hates the job? That he has a family? That he lives in a third-world country?

A big fat "no".

The problem is that nobody pays Sam for his art.

Do you see how easy to spot the antidote when you identified the problem?

The answer is the antidote to the problem. The guy needs to find someone who would buy his art or paint.

It’s only one of many possible ways to look at it. Someone else might end up identifying the problem in a different way. That will point to a completely different antidote.

As long as you have the ability to think, you can come up with an applicable antidote. No matter the circumstances, situation or restrictions, there is always something you can do to change things.

The only concern is that it sometimes requires creative thinking.

Step 3: Finding a Plan to Reach the Answer

When you got the answer to your problem you’ve unlocked for yourself a bunch of opportunities.

It’s the most exciting step. Answering what road you need to take to come out the problem into the answer.

Because there’s no WiFi in the desert, Sam can’t put his art on eBay or do any promotion. Although Sam doesn’t have access to Internet traffic, he has real traffic. There are dozens of people who stop at this shop for repairs. There are hundreds of vehicles that pass by his repair shop on the highway every single day.

Sam creates a plan to put his very best paintings by the highway leading up to his shop. At the shop, he decides to build an advertisement board for all his paintings and the unique paint.

It’s important to apply this step using realistic actions. The complexity of the plan may vary due to the size of the problem.

Step 4: Applying the Answer

The answer to Sam’s existential crisis is to find someone who would buy his art or paint. Or both!

Sam creates a gallery. A very unusual one. It’s by the side of the road.

People that drive that highway are bored seeing nothing but the sand for hours. As soon as they see beautiful paintings they are fixed on them.

It doesn’t mean they want to buy them. It means that the advertisement is getting traffic. Sooner or later there will be someone on the highway that has more than enough money. Maybe a tourist. Maybe an art collector.

I’ll leave this story to your imagination.

The size of the problem will determine how difficult this stage is.

The good news is that you know what you need to be doing

How many times you heard awesome advice and ended up walking away not applying it?

Apply the steps. Our emotions can stumble us again in this place. After coming up with a way to solve the problem we get to a place where feel satisfied but we don’t apply practically what we came up with as a solution.

Just do it.

Practical Examples

I want to make sure you understand the steps. To ensure that I will share a practical example from my life.

One early morning I was woken up by a strange noise. My closet was ratling. Then I noticed that the bed was rocking as well.

In a split of a second, everything made sense. This was an earthquake.

I jumped out of my bed and ran to a safe place while everything around me was shaking. It felt like my strong and steady home was put on a trailer and carried over a bad road.

Skip forward to one month after the earthquake. Life was going back to normal. The building was inspected and declared safe to live in. Broken pieces of plaster were carried out but naked pillars reminded me of the scary morning every time I entered the door.

I felt safe during the day but I struggled when I was going to sleep.

It’s natural that the mind wanders but sometimes it can cause issues. What if it will happen again? What if it will be much more serious and the building collapses?

The senses are hyped. Every crack and knock makes me check if everything is moving again.

Therefore, I had a problem. I struggled to fall asleep because of my imagination of the next possible earthquake.

Applying The Steps

I sat down to think and walk through the reasons of my sleeping issues.

I feel anxious when I lay down in my bed at night.

Why?

I get the images in my heading of collapsing buildings.

Why?

Everything reminds me of the earthquake when I try to fall asleep.

Why?

I’m in the same position physically when it happened!

Here’s the eureka moment! The problem was that I was sleeping at the same exact place after the earthquake. That put me into a position where my memories were activated.

The antidote to this problem is very simple to come up with. I need to sleep in another place. It will prevent the rising of bad memories.

I couldn't sleep in the kitchen and I didn’t want to do it in the bathroom, corridor or balcony.

What else could I do?

I ended up rearranging my bedroom completely. That changed the way everything looked. Bad memories were significantly weakened and my sleeping returned to normal.

Everything is sorted.

Your turn

There’s a possibility that the problem will remain after doing the steps. I would encourage you to do the process again. There’s no need to be discouraged. You solved a problem but it just turned out to be not the main one.

You can only get closer next time.

I love this method for its simplicity and plasticity. It will make you an expert in problem-solving until you’re no longer anxious about anything that comes your way.

Take Away:

• Identify the problem as specific as possible.
• Find the antidote that will remove the problem.
• Make a plan that will practically take you to the antidote.
• Apply the plan.
• Don’t skip the steps.