What is problem solving? (3)

What is problem solving? (1)
What is problem solving? (2)

Problem dealing is quite different from problem solving.

Do you know what the most fatal disadvantage of the problem solving technique is? It is problem solving itself.
You apply problem solving, you unconsciously suppose that the problem exists and you must solve it. In real situation this supposition is not always true. There are a lot of unsolvable problems and pseudo problems. Problem solution has great power to seek unique solution. But if the solution does not exist, it is in vain at all.

Then, when you are in a very tough situation, the first thing you have to do is to look around you. How much problem is there around you? Are they true problems to be solved?

Mr. Dale Breckenridge Carnegie, famous entrepreneur in 1900s felt suffering from critical situation one day. Then he took a pen and paper to list up the problems. And he categorized the problem based on urgency. He noticed that only few problems were truly urgent. So he felt safety.

To categorize the problems, finding the axis of category is important.

Axis of importance: Is the problem essential to be solved? If the problem remained unsolved, would someone die? Or what is the worst scenario?
Axis of difficulty: Do you suffer from a problem which it is impossible to solve? Then, unfortunately your suffering is no use. Forgot it!
Axis of urgency: When is the deadline of this problem? There are many problems which are not so important, but quite urgent. They are no value to be solved so seriously.

Put your mind in order. Perhaps there is no problem around you!

(To be continued)