Problem solving not only builds mental muscle, it also helps you avoid memory loss as you grow older!

But sometimes a problem comes in the form of a *pressing* problem –- the type that wakes you up at 3 o'clock in the morning in a cold sweat.

Wrestling with such a problem can make you smarter and stronger. But that does NOT make it 'fun' to have such a problem!

The Issue of Pressing Problems

Pressing problems are 'pressing' because they come with an intense emotional component; anxiety.

The interesting thing about anxiety is this: it's based on the future. If what you fear had already happened, you would have no time for anxiety. You would be scrambling for a fast and immediate solution.

To find a solution for a pressing futurebased problem, you need to get your mind out of the future and into the present moment.

Clarity is everything in problem-solving.

And it's the absolute key to solving a pressing problem, especially one that causes you to toss and turn all night!


Solving a Pressing Problem

Are you facing an emotionally charged *pressing* problem right now?

The first thing you'll want to remember is this: Unless a man-eating tiger is about to have you for lunch, others have survived worse than this. And so can you.

If you ARE facing such a problem, the worse thing you can do is to allow yourself to be anxious and stressed. Anxiety (a psychological condition) triggers stress (a physical response).

And stress absolutely shuts down your higher thinking capabilities. It turns on an older, more primitive part of your brain that simply prepares you to 'fight or run.'

The first step is to calm your mind. This might require a trip to the gym, a run or long walk, a massage –- whatever slows down that train racing through the back of your mind.


A True Pressing Problem Story

Years ago I had a severe financial catastrophe.

I faced the prospect of losing everything. I had equity in my home, but the bank was going to foreclose in a week. Not a pretty picture.

I tore my mind apart looking for solutions. I finally 'gave up.' I decided to talk to a realtor about a quick sale of the house, although that was 'totally impossible.'

Much to my shock, the realtor provided a solution. He picked up my overdue payments and saved the house from foreclosure. He covered his 'investment' with a contract clause in our sales agreement.

If I had just given into my anxiety and the resulting 'mental paralysis,' this great solution would never have been possible.

If you face such a problem, it's time to THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!

Ten 'Outside the Box' Steps

Thinking 'outside the box' is thinking beyond the ordinary.

This type of mental activity WILL provide an answer, although the answer may be unlike anything you may have expected.

If you've got a problem you're not getting an answer for, it's time to plug in your creativity. Here's an 'outside the box' 10-step process that works quite well:

1. Get it out of your head and onto paper. This will stop the process of 'running in mental circles' that often accompanies such problems. Demand clarity. Exactly what IS the problem? Be as precise as possible. Trim it down to a short statement of as few words as possible.
   

2. Now search your mind for closely related problems. Most problems come in a 'cluster' of smaller problems. List the related mini-problems that come to mind. Don't be critical at this point, just list everything that comes to mind.
   

3. Ask yourself: 'What are my assumptions.' Look for both obvious and subconscious assumptions. The subconscious assumptions may be connected to some interesting old personal fears that may have little or no basis in reality. Watch for them!
   

4. Ask yourself: 'If my assumptions are actually NOT true, how would this change the problem?'
   

5. Ask yourself: 'What am I trying to do?' Be very clear about your answer to this question.
   

6. Ask yourself: 'How am I trying to do this. Could there be a better way?' Do NOT assume your current methods are the best. If they were, they would be working for you! Get outside the box!
   

7. Make a list of *impossible* solutions to both the major, and smaller problems.
   

8. Examine your list, and look for clues to the solution. Again, do NOT be critical of any solution that seems 'impossible.'
   

9. Look for a smaller 'solvable' problem on your list. Sometimes solving a smaller problem will provide a string you can pull to unravel the big problem.
   

10. Remember to stay in your creative 'outside the box' mind. You cannot afford the luxury of anxiety or stress right now. If you feel yourself getting stressed, you're just giving into anxiety again. Get back into your 'creative now.'

Goals = Problems Looking for a Solution

This brings us to the matter of unachieved goals.

((( Actually any goal you haven't reached is only a problem you have not yet solved. )))

In many ways, success is a direct factor of your ability to solve new problems!

Anything standing in the way of your goal is just a problem waiting for the right solution. This includes what some call 'personal limitations.' These are also just problems waiting for a solution!

If you are not today living the life you want to live, that is also just a problem to be solved. And problems are made to be solved.

So what should you do?

Turn on your creative juices and get 'outside the box.'

That's it!

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