11 Simple Methods To Better Solve Your Problems

“A problem is an issue or obstacle which makes it difficult to achieve a desired goal, objective or purpose. It refers to a situation, condition, or issue that is yet unresolved. In a broad sense, a problem exists when an individual becomes aware of a significant difference between what actually is and what is desired.”

Since day 1 of your internet marketing journey you’re constantly being faced with dozens of problems every day. Therefore, being able to solve your problems better and faster will inevitably decrease not only the amount of time it will take you to generate Cashflow but also the amount of emotional friction that is likely to arise in the process.

What are “problems”? Problems are the mere difference between where we are and where we would like to be. Problem solving is all about facing the contrast of a situation and being able to divert your attention towards the desired outcome.

However, what most internet marketers do is they spend too much time procrastinating. They waste time on justification, blame and guilt. The do the impulsive and the irrational thing of thinking “what if?!” They indulge themselves into the process of cooking up disasters and allowing their minds being dominated by Fear and Anxiety.

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

If you’re planning on becoming a successful internet marketer, first, you need to determine who you are. There are two types of internet marketers: procrastinators and problem solvers. Guess which one you should be?

Procrastinators are the ones that can’t handle a problem for the life of them. They will make up hundreds of excuses for why they can’t handle the situation. They’ll even come up with a list of things to blame for what’s happening to them right now: the government, parents, spouses, money, time, furniture, weather, global warming or even God… but one thing they fail to realize is that wasting time on making up excuses won’t make a problem go away, it won’t solve itself (in most cases).

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

Problem Solvers on the other hand, seldom make excuses. Most of the time, they instantly figure out a solution and ACT. They might even face twice as much challenges than the average procrastinator does but at the same time they will achieve ten times as much.

Here’re 11 simple methods to become a problem solver:

1. Detach

One of my favorite problem solving techniques is to completely detach myself from whatever problem or situation I might be facing right now. At first, it didn’t make sense to turn away from the very thing that is causing emotional friction. The problem won’t fix itself, right?

But the thing about problems is that problems don’t exist. There are either situations that demand your immediate attention or goals. More often than not, our problems turn out to be nothing more than goals. Most of our problems don’t demand our immediate attention.

Nowadays, when I am facing a problem, no matter how big or small, I’d take a nap, go for a walk, work out, spend time with my wife or chat with a friend-either way, I won’t be thinking of the problem AT ALL. Detachment allows me to see the next step.

By completely disconnecting from the problem and allowing myself to be “In The NOW” I enable my brain to tap into the untapped arsenal of human brilliance to find the perfect solution.

2. Get Altitude

Problems cause us to unconsciously zoom in on our experience and drown in the ocean of thought which interferes with our ability to see the big picture. Zooming out or “Getting Altitude” is going to assist you in attaining more vision. You will be able to see the parts and pieces you may have missed before and gain more information and tools to better solve your problems.

3. Meditate

Many of the people I meet underestimate the power of meditation. 10-15 minutes a day are enough to have a clear vision of the world around you. Meditation drastically improves your judgment and decision making ability. It also decreases procrastination and irrationality-biggest problem solving enemies of all times.

4. Any Problem Has a Solution

There’s no such problem that has no solution. People who claim to have such problems simply never bothered to look hard enough. Every problem, from a broken nails to global warming (mentioned that one for the second time in this post, Al Gore must be pissed off at me right now…), has a solution. I agree that sometimes the best solution to a problem may not be the one we like, but it’s a solution nevertheless.

5. Mastermind

If you’re familiar with a famous expression: “one head… good, two heads… better” than you know precisely of what I’m talking about. Having 2-3 people you can mastermind with can turn out to be not only helpful but crucial for becoming a great problem solver.

6. Look For Answers Elsewhere

When times are tough, you can resort to looking for answers in a completely different place from where the problem arouse in the first place. I can recall quite a few instances when I looked for inspiration in a far cry from the place I was stuck in.

Today, I find myself solving marketing problems using psychology and personal problems using blogging or social media. To tell you the truth, I don’t recall the first time it happened, but as soon as it did, I got accustomed with the idea of looking for answer in the most unexpected places.

7. Ask A Friend For Help

Often times, procrastinators look for a pair of free ears to complain about how unfair life is treating them and why they don’t deserve that kind of “love” from God and the Universe.

As a problem solver, you can turn this activity into a problem solving technique. Asking for help from a friend, even if he’s not an expert, can turn out to be very helpful. Your buddy or spouse can provide you with a fresh look on things you’ve been looking for. Never disqualify one’s opinion-you can always learn something from a person next to you.

8. Google It

Google, Yahoo, Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon, YouTube, LifeHacker, WikiHow and Amazon are only 9 out of a gazillion places you can look for solutions at. There are millions of bits of information being shared every second online, I can bet that whatever problem you’re facing right now-there’s someone that can help you out with a solution. Google It!

9. Write Your Problems Down

A problem written down is a problem half solved. Write your problems down in a detailed and precise way on a piece of paper. Try to be as specific as possible. Include the reason why this is such an issue for you, what’s causing it, how it makes you feel, etc.

Beneath, on the same piece of paper, list all the possible solutions to that problem. Include everything that comes into mind. List even the most outrageous ideas that pop into your head. The moment you’re finished listing the possible solutions-pick one and stick to it.

This problem solving technique saved my ass dozens of times. To this day, I am thankful to Dale Carnegie for introducing me to it in his book “How To Stop Worrying and Start Living.”

10. Get Away

Getting away from day-to-day routine, spending some time in total solitude allows you to crystallize your thinking. Our daily lives are filled with noise, distractions, commotion and chaos to such an extent that getting away from the madness once in a while is mandatory for anyone who’s looking for clearance.

11. Make A Decision

Habitually, the crunch in problem solving is making the decision. After you’ve figured out what’s the best road to take-it is up to you to decide whether or not to act upon your choice. Believe it or not, most people will go through the hustle of looking for a solution but won’t commit to it, which is quite sad, if you ask me…

Make a concrete decision about how you’re going to solve your problem and act upon that decision. Commit to following through with your plans of changing the situation you’re not satisfied with for good.

Although I am only 21, trust me when I say this: the best time of your life is the time when you decide to stop making excuses and you start taking responsibility for everything that’s happening to you. Stop blaming the government, economy and God for not being where you want to be. Instead, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

How Do You Solve Your Problems?

Please share with me how you solve your problems. Feel free to share techniques I failed to mention in this post as well as your own problem solving experiences.

Tagged as: better problem solving, better solve problems, how to solve problems, methods to better solve problems, problem solving