I first ask myself, what is the fundamental puzzle I am trying to solve? Then I can crack the code and solve the puzzle.
Not always, but at times, for me, life is a stream of puzzles waiting to be solved.
Just for this article, I am going to use the word “puzzles” instead of the word “problems.” Puzzles are challenges that test our imagination, logic, and mental skills. Problems are obstacles.
Problems feel different than the way puzzles feel. Problems feel like constraints. They are mental straps that hold me back mentally. On the other hand, when I see puzzles, I can say these words, “I am curious about how I am going to do this.”
So, if only for this article, I am going to use the word “puzzles.”
The words we choose shape the way we feel and think.
With so much information on the Internet, solving puzzles has become so simple. I hate reading instructions. I especially hate having to read instructions for something that I will only need to do one time.
However, there is a do-it-yourself video for nearly every project in life. The solutions to my puzzles come with an instructor he can explain everything to me. If the first instructor isn’t clear about what I need to do, with a few clicks, I can find other instructors in other videos.
All I have to do is type “How do I…?” or, perhaps, “How can I?”
So, I try to be kind to myself. I think of my world being full of solutions that are right in front of me.
Real World Example
A simple example is that I had to set a sprinkler timer yesterday. I have set sprinkler timers for my own yard countless times. The timer that I had to set yesterday is different from the ones I have set in the past. With a couple of Internet searches, I found a video with the exact instructions for this specific timer. I didn’t even have to read any instructions.
I watched a guy wearing a brown felt hat, funny hat and
Real World Situation
Right now, I have hundreds of articles written over a period of at least a decade. Google’s search engine can’t accurately map a number of the posts in my website.
- The content is too similar
- The titles are too similar
- The titles of the categories are not definitive.
Here are some simple solutions.
- Unpublish some of the posts
- Rewrite some of the other posts
- Create new categories to better define the subject of the posts.
- Allow myself to make a few changes every day and not shut down my work on other projects.
Cracking the code of any problem (sorry, puzzle) isn’t always easy, but by adopting a structured approach, embracing creative thinking, and cultivating a resilient mindset, I can unlock effective solutions and turn challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation. At least, those are the things that work for me.