Do you dwell on problems, and is the worry it causes stifling your optimism and creativity? Consider the most successful people you know. Regardless of their skill set or industry, chances are they have the ability to turn problems into opportunities. Unfortunately, there is no magic switch you can flip in your brain, but with consistent effort over time, and using some of the following tips, you can alter your mindset and leap over even the biggest hurdle.
Start by accepting that problems are inevitable. Most of us react negatively to problems because they take us by surprise. They are always going to rear their ugly heads, so train your brain to accept them as normal and completely unavoidable. This mindset will assist you to handle problems with more grace and objective understanding.
Cultivating self-awareness is an important way to understand that the person living your life … is YOU! To prevent your life from becoming a constant reflection of your past, you must become aware of the habitual thought patterns that keep you stuck.
Many of our irrational judgments, limiting beliefs, and cognitive biases arise from our sense of attachment to the past. The more knowledgeable we become about these, the better equipped we are to overcome them.
Sit yourself down and ask yourself the hard questions:-
- What fear or pain is this problem bringing out in me?
- Have I felt this fear or pain before?
- Do I continue to feel this way because the underlying cause needs attention?
- Is there a skill or knowledge that I can only gain from this problem?
- What is the hidden gift for me in getting through it?
Negative emotions or experiences are a good sign that school is in session and you are headed toward some important learning.
Think of the problem as a separate entity, unrelated to you. It allows you to temper your emotions and thinks about the problem objectively. Try describing the problem as if it were happening to a friend: “Bob has a cash flow problem. He needs to ….…” Try this tactic to avoid the ego-centric emotional reactions that typically arise.
If you’re a practical thinker, another option is to isolate the real consequences of the problem from your exaggerated or imaginary ones. Shift your focus from seeing the problem as a burden or destructive force, to seeing it as a neutral force that allows you to take action.
Make a list of all the significant negative consequences the problem will cause. This exercise will typically illustrate that your problem is not as destructive as it seemed on the surface. Our brains are wired to imagine worst-case scenarios and exaggerate potential threats so we can over-prepare rather than under-prepare.
Create a mind map or visual snapshot of a problem and possible solutions. This can help focus the mind, stimulate the brain, increase the capacity for creative thinking, and generate more ideas and solutions. Draw your problem as a central idea, then add “main branches” consisting of all the reasons for the problem. Use “sub-branches” to explore further details.
Next, make a separate Mind Map of all possible solutions to the central problem. Add “main branches” showing all the ways that your problem can be solved. Add “sub-branches” to further explore the details. Make a final branch with the most suitable solution for the main problem.
We are rarely aware of the habitual nature of our own thoughts. Our minds are constantly regurgitating. The result is that our actions and behaviours don’t change much either. Consciously choose to think new thoughts and act in new ways.
When we do something out of the ordinary, the brain pays attention. It brings us into the present moment and forces us to think in new ways.
Our daily lives present countless opportunities to do things differently. We may not be aware of how much our habits and routines shape our lives until we consciously try to shake things up.
Make a commitment to do something new and out of your comfort zone at least once a week.
- Skip a day or a week of using social media — or use it for a new purpose.
- Cook up a new recipe with ingredients you wouldn’t usually use. Take a different route to work.
- Spend five minutes a day learning a new language. Listen to a different genre of music from your usual playlist.
Shaking things up will aid in the creation of new neural networks. It helps our creativity by aiding us in spotting patterns between existing ideas. The brain loves it, and rewards us with dopamine. We feel motivated to keep exploring further.
Learn new things or think about familiar concepts differently. To build up your brain muscle and develop new problem-solving techniques, practice some logic puzzles and other games. The winning strategy when playing chess or Sudoku is actually to work the problem backward, not forward. The same strategy can apply to realistic strategic-thinking situations.
Go into full attack mode when strongly challenged. This is no time to be timid. Attack a crisis or challenge with enthusiasm, confidence, and the conviction that you will win. Try to put aside the psychological and career risks associated with a crisis. See the opportunities offered and attack possible solutions with high energy.
Dancing has a positive impact on neural processing and pathways. It helps to divert from dopamine-depleted blockages in the brain. Ballet or other forms of structured dance may facilitate convergent thinking. In other words, it may help you find a single, appropriate answer to a problem. If you need help with divergent thinking, engage in more improvised types of dance such as hip-hop or tap. Dance it OUT!
The truth is that we are hard-wired to want challenges, and to some extent we even seek them out. Thomas Edison said, “Restlessness is discontent, and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.”
You’re always going to have problems in your life, whether they come up as personal issues, professional challenges, or flat-out bad luck. If you can train your brain to view these problems as opportunities for growth, you’ll become far more adept at handling them quickly, efficiently, and with less stress.
