Photo credits: Skevi Vasiliou
Problem-solving takes up a large part of our daily life. Problems can range from deciding on your future career to what you are having for lunch!
We can use Plato’s approach to problem solving; he looks at it from a birds eye view! “Whenever you want to talk about people, it’s best to take a birdseye view and see everything all at once.” Plato
- Most of the times our overthinking mind starts seeing a problem…even when it’s not there! Try looking at the big picture and view things as they really are.
- When in the heat of the moment, take a deep breath and take a step back. Try solving the problem objectively.
- Don’t drown in a cup of water! Will it really matter in the long run? Let go of your ego or your anger and don’t let it affect you.
- Simplify the situtation. Our natural tendency when facing a problem is to add more “issues” before trying to solve it. In reality, the issue is simpler than it first appears! So take a step back, and simplify.
“Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” Steve Jobs.
5.Don’t make ridiculous assumptions. When dealing with a problem, we often make assumptions over fictional obstacles and further non existential issues that prevent solutions!
Astronauts have the best views of all. They can see the earth as a whole. They see the beauty of our planet; the miracle of nature. They can sit back and cherish how lucky we are!
Considering an astronaut’s perspective may be quite hard, but I am sure we can learn a thing or two from them: “From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a B***.’” Edgar Mitchell – Astronaut
To quote Costas Hadjis song Airplane:
“When you see things from above
Earth looks like a picture
And you take it too seriously
You take it too seriously…”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aHhvSwZPxg
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