PROBLEM PREVENTION

Once there is a problem, there is problem solving. Once you or another person has created a problem which blocks him from reaching his desired outcome, you thereafter become engaged in problem-solving. That means diagnosing what is the problem, defining it with precision and accuracy, and then honing in on the best solution that you can find for it.

Consider this question. It came to me the other day as I was thinking about problem solving. “Is a problem a ‘problem,’ if you know how to solve it?” Is it still a problem? If you encounter something and in your mind it is a problem because there’s a block in your mind about how to solve it, but then, on second thought, you realize what to do to solve it, is it still a problem? I sat with that question for awhile before realizing: Actually if I know how to solve a problem, it is no longer a ‘problem’ (it is not an obstacle that blocks me from achieving my goal). Now, instead of it being a problem to me, it is something else— it is simply a strategy to implement.

That gave me yet another idea. Imagine something quite different from problem-solving. Imagine that instead of solving problems, you set out to live your life, or facilitate a client, in such a way as to prevent problems from arising. Imagine making your focus that of preventing problems from emerging in the first place. What a wild idea!

After all, many of us think that way about our health. Instead of waiting until health problems arise, let’s think in terms of preventive health practices—things we can do that will prevent problems from arising at all. Actually, that’s what ‘insurance’ promises—if something damages your car when driving, or your house when a storm arises, your car and/or house is insured and can be replaced or rebuild. Yet that is not true insurance. It is only damage control after the event. True insurance would insure that you do not suffer damage in the first place. So careful, defensive driving skills is actually what truly insures that you won’t get in an accident and damage your car. House upkeep and regular checking on windows, doors, furnace, water lines, etc. is more likely to insure that problems don’t arise.

When it comes to problems prevention, what do we need?

∙ You need appropriate knowledge and skills to prevent problems from arising in the first place. What knowledge do you need in a given area? What skills to be able to act on that knowledge?

∙ You need appropriate resources. You need critical thinking skills for clear and accurate comprehending of your current reality. You need the ability to think strategically, to identify the inner structure of an experience, and lots of problem-solving skills.

∙ You need a solid sense of yourself. This will prevent you from personalizing problems or falling into self-blame. You need sufficient ego-strength to face reality without falling apart and good self-efficacy to trust that you can learn things and figure things out.

∙ You need good social-emotional skills. These will enable you to create a support team of people who care about you and can be there for you when you need them. Because two heads are better than one, having a thinking or learning partner can keep you more alert in the here-and-now.

∙ You need a robust attitude toward life. You need an attitude of optimism, commitment, persistence, resilience, etc. You need an attitude of thinking ahead and being proactive instead of waiting for something to happen.

∙ You need to be able to identify problems-in-the-making. This is more thinking ahead and keeping your eyes and ears alert so you can catch problems when they are small and manageable. Then you won’t be caught off-guard by problems when they are large and unmanageable.

Now to prevent problems from arising in the first place, you have to be proactive and develop a desire to catch the beginnings of a problem before it is a problem. This means eliminating all procrastinating, being passive in your approach to life, living mindfully and thoughtfully rather than reacting. In other words, you need an action bias enabling you to be ready to act.

Are you ready for problem-preventing? Then set the frame that it is so much better to catch problems when they are small and manageable rather than wait when they grow large and mostly unmanageable.