Thread by @GeorgeSilverman

A problem well stated is a problem half-solved. —Charles Kettering

How to state a problem: #Template

1. What's the GOAL?

2. Where are you now? THE GIVEN

3. What's the obstacle? THE UNKNOWN 👇

1. The goal

1a. May be something you want removed: an annoying habit, emotion, interference, hassle.

Examples: Less drinking, feel less fear, become less distracted, focus more, perform a task effortlessly.
👇

1b. Goal may be a positive opportunity.

How can I monetize my passionate interest in X?
How can I convince more people about this concept?
How can I get to the next level?
How can I take advantage of that cultural trend I've spotted?
How can I do more of that thing I love?👇

1. Goals (Cont.)

Where it's a persistent and unwanted situation you want removed, or an opportunity you want to take advantage of, WRITE IT DOWN AS CLEARLY AS YOU CAN. (Don't worry about getting it exactly right. It will gradually change and become more clear). 👇

2. THE GIVEN

Where are you now?
What are your resources? (time, money, knowledge, skills)

Example:

Stuck in a job, can't quit because I need the money.
Stuck in a destructive pattern.
Trying to do something I don't yet have the knowledge or skill for.

3. THE PROBLEM

NOW, you're ready to state the problem.

It's always an UNKNOWN:
A block, a gap, a hurdle, an impediment, an obstacle between WHERE YOU ARE NOW AND WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. 👇

3. A PROBLEM is always, "What's a presently unknown way to remove the block, bridge the gap, avoid the hurdle, smooth the impediment, or find the answer?"

Every problem can be stated as a "How can I?" or an "I wish there was a way to..." or a "What's the missing information?"

The missing piece you are looking for is called THE SOLUTION.

The solution is never an annoying person or habit.
It's never the opportunity you can't seize.

The solution is always an unknown piece of information or action.

It's never the symptom. It's always the cause.

Now you can solve any problem or take advantage of any opportunity:

Lay out the GOAL, the SITUATION, and the OBSTACLE.
State them in several ways, from different perspectives.
What's the unknown(s)?
How are you going to find or create the solution, the missing way?

Examples 👇

From Charles Kettering, the great inventor, quoted above:
"How can we paint a car in a few minutes instead of two weeks?"

Others:
How can I substitute a new habit here?
How can I formulate an escape plan?
How can I begin to monetize my hobby and make it my career?
👇

How can I think better?
How can I act smarter?
What do I need to learn next to reach my goal?
How can I do that impossible thing I want to do?
How can I do that thing 100x faster, with less effort?

By the way, if you know how to do it, you don't have a problem.

You have a task, plan or project. Just do it.

If you don't YET know how to do it, you have a PROBLEM to got to work on.

Congratulations. You now know more about problem-solving than 99% of all people.
👇

Make a list of PROBLEMS.
Welcome them as fun things to play with.
Play with possible solutions, the more ridiculous the better (you want to break your ruts and patterns).
Use your imagination.
Generate as many BAD solutions as you can (at least dozens).
👇

Take the worst solutions and modify them to find ways to make them work.

Congratulations, you are now a CREATIVE problem-solver.

Your life now has a whole new dimension of possibilities.
Use this power for good.

That's a wrap!

If you benefitted from this thread:

1. Follow me @GeorgeSilverman for more of these
2. RT the tweet below to share this thread with your audience. A world of better problem-solvers is a MUCH better world.
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