Is “We Always Do It This Way” A Good Reason?

In April 1947, The Assembly line of Ford plant is halted for the day of Henry Ford's funeral

Our world is constantly, a "new idea!"

Throughout my life and on many different occasions, I have heard a reason for doing something stated as, “we always do it this way.” Of course, there is some merit in doing something because it was proven to work in the past. If we are familiar with what we have done, then we will have a certain degree of confidence in doing it like before. If it has worked in the past, then we readily assume that it will work in the present. And, it might.

So, why consider doing it differently? If we do something a certain way because, “we always do it that way,” then what are we giving up by not trying a different way?

Consider Henry Ford and his invention of the Ford assembly line. He decided to have the cars move to the workers instead of the “we always do it this way” of having the workers move to the cars. That simple switch revolutionized the automobile industry. How did he think of this? I’ll bet he didn’t know exactly what the result would be when he decided to change his assembly line. I’ll also bet he was operating on a hunch. He decided to do something that wasn’t the way it had always been done.

How can we get out of the rut of doing something the way it has always been done? One way is by using the old education saying of, “start with a clean slate.” Literally, start out with nothing from the past. I’m not saying we shouldn’t use past knowledge, but I am saying we should set it aside as much as possible in order to have a fresh new look at what we are trying to do. Do some “what if-ing.” Consider the implications and consequences of the “what if’s” and then, if they seem reasonable, try them.

I'm starting with a clean slate!

Starting out with a clean slate allows the creative part of thinking to be manifested. As long as we use our critical thinking to help assess the creative output from our mind, we should be able to have fresh approaches to problems, while still using what we know from the “way we have always done it.”

For a change, consider trying new approaches to some of the mundane parts of your life. Instead of mowing your grass by going back and forth, try going round and round. Instead of going to the grocery store using your usual route, try a completely different one that takes you past a new area. Instead of eating a salad at the beginning of the meal, try eating it at the end of the meal. There are many times during a normal day that we could change our approach and reason of “we always do it this way.”

I'm eating my salad for dessert!

By getting rid of the reason, “we always do it this way,” we will be able to have a new look at our future. Too often, people are stuck in the past by not trying new ways of doing things.

Think about it – if you always do things a certain way based on previous methods, then your vision of the future is like the past. You have nothing new to look forward to. This is especially true for those of us who are “up there in years.” We have so much history that we can’t imagine a new and different way of doing something. “That’s the way we’ve always done it!“

How about a fresh and new look on life? Let’s use the philosophy behind the statement, “we always do it this way” sparingly.

Consider changing the statement to, “we always DID it that way, but now we are considering new ways.“

Please consider a comment for a new way. :-)

What Does The Baby Boomers’ Generation Have To Be Thankful For?

Let's Give Peace A Chance! A Symbol From The Sixties!

The Beatles in 1964 - The beginning of "Beatlemania."

Yippie led anti-election protestors outside City Hall, San Francisco, CA, Oct. 1968

Peace sign flashing, anti-election protestors in Grant Park during a demonstration against the Democratic National Convention, Chicago, IL, Aug. 1968

Shirtless male drummer & dress-wearing female flutist jamming during Woodstock music festival, Bethel, NY, Aug. 1969

The Jackson Five with their parents, Joseph and Katherine. They signed with Motown in November of 1968

Astronaut Edwin Aldrin saluting American flag after being second man on moon during Apollo II mission, July 1969

Having been born in 1946, I am considered to be a “baby-boomer.” In fact, the baby-boomer generation began with Americans born in 1946.

My father met my mother in 1944 while he was in the Navy, fighting in World War 2, and she was a comptometer operator in San Francisco. He was discharged in 1945, they married and I was born in June of 1946, along with over 3,400,000 other Americans, thereby “starting a boom” in the population that continued through 1964.

In the Spring of 1964, I graduated from St. Dominic High School in O’Fallon, MO, and five years later, in the Spring of 1969, I graduated from Truman State University (aka Northeast Missouri State University).

As you can see, I was in high school and college during the “sixties” – the time when many expressions we currently assume always had meaning, actually came into existence. So, what are some of these expressions that are used when referring to that era?

The following are all expressions that I remember from the sixties. I have each expression in hypertext, in case you would like to read more about them. Also, in parenthesis, is the time in my life when I first heard the expression.

Sex, Drugs and Rock N Roll (in college)

Make Love, Not War (in college)

Flower Power (in college)

Hippies (in college)

Beatlemania (in high school)

Woodstock (Summer after graduation from college)

Motown (in high school)

Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out (in college)

Civil Rights Movement (in high school)

Yippies (in college)

Man Walking On The Moon (Summer after graduation from college)

Along with the expressions mentioned above, there are many pictures and/or symbols that reflect that era – the time when many baby boomers “came of age.”  I hope you will find the pictures, at the beginning of this posting, interesting and enlightening.

Ok, now you can see a little of what this baby boomer encountered during the sixties. Perhaps, I should rephrase the question in the title and write, “What does the beginning baby boomers’ generation have to be thankful for?” Should we be thankful for Beatlemania? Should we be thankful for Woodstock?  Should we be thankful for the civil rights movement? Should we be thankful for a man walking on the moon? Should we be thankful for … I say, YES!

These are all important parts of our history. They helped shape our society into one that is much more diverse and rich in population, culture, art, politics, music, science, etc. We all need to be thankful for our history that helped us learn and grow into a generation that has more education, more privileges and a greater quality of life than any previous generation.

I’m thankful today for my life – truly a gift, which is why it is called the present! :-)

Happy Thanksgiving To All!

Who Or What Controls Your Emotions?

Actor John Barrymore with his daughter Diana demonstrating "happiness" emotion on Feb. 15, 1942

Last Spring, I did a posting entitled, “You Make Me Emote!” In the posting, I declared that each person is responsible for her/his emotions. In other words, for example, it is incorrect for a person to say someone else made her/him angry. In this posting, I would like to explore the cause of our emotions.

So, what causes our emotions? What causes me to feel angry? Suppose someone hits me with his fist. The first thing I feel is the physical pain of being hit. The next feeling that I might feel is one of being angry. What caused the feeling of anger? Is it because I’m feeling physical pain? No, because the feeling of physical pain doesn’t always produce the emotional feeling of anger. Take, for example, the pain resulting from accidentally bumping your head while getting into a car. Usually, there would be no emotional feeling of anger. The point is, that a certain emotional feeling doesn’t necessarily come from a particular physical feeling. So what causes these things we call emotions?

Should a boxer get angry because of getting hit in the head?

I have a simple three letter answer. YOU! Yes, you are the cause of your own emotions. I know in my previously mentioned posting, that I never specifically stated that each person causes her/his emotions. Instead, I talked about owning our emotions and not blaming anyone else for them. We not only own our emotions, but we also cause them.

So, if I cause my emotions, then how can I control them? I think we cause our emotions through our thoughts. Let’s consider the previous example of being hit by someone’s fist. I mentioned feeling the physical pain that was followed with the feeling of anger. The feeling of anger may have been immediately replaced with a feeling of warmth, if, for example, I was hit by a two year-old child. In other words, after thinking about who and why I was hit, the emotional feeling changed from anger to warmth. It would be natural to assume that the two year-old child meant no harm.

August 1964,`Beatle' fan overcome by emotion as long-haired quartet arrive.

Let’s follow this line of thinking a little further. We not only own our emotions, but we cause them. We cause them through our thinking. If it’s our thinking that causes emotions, then it seems natural to use our thinking to control our emotions. Let’s return again to the example of getting hit by someone’s fist. What kind of thinking causes me to emotionally respond with anger? Perhaps, I think the person who hit me, did so as an expression of anger. My response may have resulted from some  ”eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” thinking. In other words, that person is angry so I will be angry at her/him. Another way of thinking, in this situation, is to use the Christian philosophy of, “turn the other cheek.”  This could cause the person who did the hitting to feel embarrassed, due to not getting the response s/he expected. Though my examples may not be that good, I hope you can see how the cause of our emotions could be, and most likely is, our own thinking.

Now, let’s address the question in the title. Who or what controls your emotions?

First, who controls them? YOU!

Secondly, what controls your emotions? YOUR THINKING!

Did he choose to be happy?

Sometimes, I find my emotions are controlling me. In a way, that makes perfect sense. You see, my thinking causes my emotions and I control my thinking. It is possible for me to think of harming someone and then become angry. The anger then leads to me looking and acting angry. But, if I change my thinking and instead of thinking in a harmful way, I think of not harming, then my mind will most likely not become angry. The anger comes from how and what is being thought by the person who is angry. Don’t let anger control you, but let you control the anger.

We are not emoting due to what happens; we are emoting due to what we think about what happens.

You have control over your comment(s). I’m looking forward to reading yours.

What Does It Take To Be A Creative Person?

I think, therefore I creatively paint!

Yesterday, my wife and I were walking and she made a comment about wanting to learn how to paint using watercolors. She also said that she has never been able to create a painting that is “good.” She said she is not creative!

I responded by saying that I thought creativity could be learned, and if one’s standards for painting were “lowered,” then anyone could create a good painting. I used examples of impressionism and cubism which, from my point of view, have standards that allow the result to not look like a photo of the model for the painting. Also, regarding one’s standards, I think the artist should set her/his own standards. This is especially true when the artist is creating for her/himself.

I think creative people are not born creative. In other words, I don’t think the nature part of us dictates our creativity, but I do think the nurture part plays a role. Children, that are raised in an environment that stifles their creativity by forcing them to live up to unreasonable standards, will tend to think they aren’t able to create art. They will not attempt to create and will exemplify the old adage of, “use it or lose it.” They don’t use their creative thinking and therefore, lose it.

Creating Creative Thinking!

Creativity requires us to use our creative mind. Think of it as a muscle. If you don’t use a muscle, it will become weak and eventually, will be unable to perform as it normally would. We all know that exercising our muscles make them stronger. The same is true for our “creative mind.”

Here's a creation representing our solar system!

So what should we do in order to become a painter, musician, sculptor, builder, writer, cook, dancer, etc….? Well, one thing we shouldn’t do is nothing. The best way to become more creative is to create. Generate lots of ideas and decide, using your own standards, which ones to keep. Break a routine and do something differently. Generally, creativity means change and doing something in a different way.

So, what should we do if we want to paint a picture using watercolor? Get a brush, some watercolor and a surface to paint on and paint. Simple? Yes, if you can obtain the materials.

How do you become more creative? Exercise your creative mind!

How do you exercise your creative mind? One way is to get a brush, some watercolor and a surface to paint on and paint! :-)

Please create a comment!

Is Your Vision In Good Shape For The World?

 

A 1952 photo of a robot called "Sabor" frightening a baby in Hamburg, Germany

 

Socrates envisioned western philosophy

Do you have any problems with your vision? I don’t necessarily mean “vision” in the sense of seeing with your eyes. I’m talking about your vision that uses your imagination. The vision that allows you to “see” what you want the world to look like in the future. If you have such a “vision,” then what does it look like? Is it blurry or clear? Is it the way you want it to be and/or the way you think it will be? Is it a vision that allows you to be what you want to be? Do bigger dreams or visions generally mean big results?

 

The previous paragraph points out, in question form, some of the different ways we deal with vision. Many successful people have big dreams and have manifested those dreams or visions in various ways. Isaac Asimov, a popular science fiction writer from the twentieth century, had monstrous dreams or visions. He wrote over 300 books, wrote numerous short stories and won many awards while always manifesting a vision or dream that allowed him to go back and forth from fiction to non-fiction. When he wrote fiction, he very seldom expressed himself through a character that we might remember. Instead, most of his characters would be discreet, while allowing us to envision the story through their minds.

Da Vinci envisioned and lived the renaissance.

Asimov’s ability to have the reader see his vision was powerful. Through his writing, one could see into his mind. At least, that is the way I felt as I read some of his books. I remember reading, “I Robot” while in high school and then later on, seeing films based on some of the short stories from the book. Asimov’s vision and the vision I had in my mind regarding robots, were one and the same. Of course, my vision was most likely strongly influenced by his writing. That alone was great, but after I saw a short story from the book portrayed on the movie screen hosted by Boris Karloff, I realized how good Asimov was at clearly revealing his vision to us. The screen version was almost identical to what I had in my mind.

Of course, most of what I read from Isaac Asimov was science fiction, yet he wrote in such a way that my friends and I felt it was real and we understood it. He wrote from a point of view that all could understand science. That was a big vision.

Einstein envisioned a different order for the universe.

People who have big visions have had great impacts on civilizations. Examples like Socrates, da Vinci and Einstein come to mind. Socrates for his vision of a Western Philosophy, da Vinci for his Renaissance vision and Einstein for his special vision of physics.

We also have had people whose visions were negative. Hitler comes to mind almost immediately. He had a grandiose vision, but from my point of view, it was an irrational model for our society. His New Order was a vision that excluded many people for reasons of birth, relationship and/or ethencity. It was a vision that wasn’t good for a world that is as diverse and rational as ours. Again, Hitler’s vision was wrong for our world, but was somewhat a reasonable vision, if applied to, for example, animals in a zoo.

Hitler envisioned a world of exclusion.

So, what kind of world would you like to see in the future? I believe your vision for the world helps shape your life. It helps give you purpose and a sense of accomplishment.

We need to create a vision for our world that, unlike Hitler, is inclusive, fair-minded and positive. It should be a vision that enables all of us to contribute toward the improvement of everyone in our world. It should be a vision that helps our world be in “good shape.”

What’s your vision?

Should We Be Rational?

Engraving of portrait of Greek philosopher Xenocrates (396-314 B. C.), disciple of Plato and the first to divide philosophy into logic, physics and ethics, from "Diogenis Laertii de Vitis, Graeci et Latine" by Marcus Meibomius, 1692.

Should we be rational and/or logical? Recently, I heard a discussion about rationality and how we overuse it. In that same discussion, the words “rational” and “logic” were interchanged. Those that were participating in the discussion were treating the two words as synonyms. I don’t believe they are and that treating them as synonyms causes more confusion than clarification.

OK, so what do I think is the difference between the meaning of the words, rational and logic? Please, read on.

Rational, to me, ideally means thinking that is not egocentric and is done in a systematic manner where the thinking is taken apart, assessed using good intellectual standards and strives toward good intellectual traits. It is difficult to give a short and clear definition of rational, but easy to say what it isn’t. It isn’t thinking that’s unfair, egocentric and unsystematic.

The word logic is used in many different ways, but to me, it means thinking in a way that “makes sense.” It means thinking that consist of parts that “fit together.” It means thinking that is supported by evidence. In other words, logic is more of a standard used to assess thinking and rational is a way of thinking that uses logic as one of its assessment standards. The internet is full of different meanings for rational and logic. For this discussion, I will use the description given at the beginning of the previous paragraph.

Social science research has shown that most of the time we do not make smart, rational choices about our health, money and love life. Some of us will complain about a 5¢ overcharge and then walk to a coffee shop and pay $5 for a latte. Many will avoid going to see a doctor or getting medical tests that would help detect common killers, while at the same time have a religious fervor for daily exercise. We do the exercise for living a longer and healthier life, yet make choices to avoid detecting a problem that will shorten our life. These choices that go against our self-interest are not rational. Since, in a way they don’t make sense, I guess our choices aren’t logical. :-)

It is difficult to always be rational. It’s hard to separate our emotions from our rational thinking. Our mind is capable of doing so, but we often intuitively make decisions without consciously realizing that the decision was made on pure emotion. Before we can correct this way of thinking, we need to make ourselves aware of when it most likely will happen. In my case, I tend to be less rational when I don’t have enough time to think about the decision. I feel rushed and my decision is often based on “how I feel about …” and not on “how I rationally thought through the problem.”

Do you promise to be rational?

I must admit that often times a decision, which is made fast and based on feelings, turns out the be a good decision. That’s good and bad. It’s good in that the final result was good. It’s bad in that the method for deciding, resulted in reinforcing irrational thinking. It’s also bad because when we make decisions in this way, the method can be habit forming due to receiving instant gratification. In other words, “we had gain with no pain” instead of “no pain, no gain.” In my case, I know I need to spend more time thinking about my choices and looking at problems from a rational point of view. I need to find a way to “not hurry” and “not emote” when faced with a major  decision. This will help me to not base my decision on my feelings and instead, be aware of my feelings while I look at the problem rationally.

It's not logical, but I love you!

Before I end this, I think it is important to emphasize that no one can always be logical. Of course, if we use logic as a standard for assessing our thinking, and not as a “way of thinking,” then we should have no problem with logic.

Often times, human relationships defy logic. In other words, sometimes relationships just don’t make sense. They are not logical. My Mom and Dad are an example. From my perspective, they were opposites. They didn’t seem to have any common interests, yet their relationship was “successful.” It wasn’t logical but it was rational. They had a system (relation) that worked for them. I think their relationship wasn’t logical, but it was clear, relevant, accurate and significant with breadth and depth. These are all standards, like logic, that can be used to help rationally assess the relationship.

In summary, I think we should, as much as possible, look at our life through a “rational window.” It doesn’t mean we will use only logic. It doesn’t mean we won’t have feelings. It doesn’t mean we will be boring. It means we will strive to be our best.

Should we be rational? YES!

Is A Mistake An Enemy, A Friend Or A Teacher?

Make no mistake, I'm your enemy!

Do you ever make a mistake? Of course you do. Who doesn’t make a mistake? No one! Are all mistakes alike? Of course not.  So, what does a mistake mean to you? Would you say a mistake is like an enemy, a friend or a teacher?

The questions in the above paragraph are all about mistakes. We make all kinds of mistakes. Some mistakes are small, like mispronouncing a word, and some mistakes are big, like the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Most people try to limit their mistakes and limit is all anyone can do. We cannot entirely eliminate mistakes from our life. Since we can’t eliminate them, then what should we do about the inevitable fact that we will make mistakes? Treat them as a type of person. What does that mean? It means, metaphorically, treating them as a person we can learn from. Ok, so how do we do that?

First of all, we generally dislike mistakes. They cause us to be confused and embarrassed. Mistakes often lower our self-esteem. But, as the old saying goes, s**t happens and so do mistakes. Yes, they happen and they happen to be a regular part of life. But, if we view them as people, then we could think of each mistake as an enemy, a friend or a teacher. Which would be best? Let’s think about how we deal with each.

Should mistakes be treated like friends?

Our enemies are people that we generally avoid. Treating a mistake like an enemy has merit in that we want to avoid it. But, as stated before, we will always make mistakes. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to completely avoid mistakes, so treating them as enemies only sets us up for failure. We will end up spending our time avoiding instead of facing and solving our problem of making the mistake.

Our friends are people that we generally like and want to be with. Treating a mistake like a friend also has some merit in that we are now facing our problem. But just “befriending” our mistake doesn’t necessarily give us the tools to avoid it in the future. Instead, by “befriending” the mistake, we are encouraging it to occur again. Ouch!

Our teachers are people that we learn from. Treating a mistake like a teacher, allows us to take a negative and turn it into a positive. When we make mistakes and treat them like teachers, we will find they are very demanding teachers. Like a demanding teacher, we will reassess our goals, look at different points of view, retrace our steps, repair any damage and reflect on the lesson learned. Perhaps, the most important result is allowing the mistake to become a lesson learnt.

Treat your mistakes like you treat me!

Is a mistake an enemy, a friend or a teacher? A Teacher, of course!

Help me with my mistakes by making a “teaching” comment. :-)

Do Problems That Are Avoided Require No Solving?

Nixon's problems portrayed on the cover of Time magazine, Aug. 27, 1973

“Please, if you are unsure of what to do, ask me. It’s generally easier to avoid a problem than solve a problem.”

Recently, my granddaughter was at our house and she asked me if she could use the computer to print a resume′. I responded with a yes and then followed with the above quoted statements. The minute I said them, I thought to myself, “where did that come from?” I made the statements, yet I don’t remember having thought seriously about how the avoidance of a problem is easier than solving a problem.

Of course, I am aware of statements like the one from Benjamin Franklin – “an ounce of precaution is worth a pound of cure.” Franklin’s statement is closely related to the one I made, but tends to be directed more to health problems.

So, how can I put my statements together and have it as short and precise as Benjamin Franklin’s?

Benjamin Franklin - "Curing Problems"

“Avoiding a problem is usually easier than solving a problem.”

“To avoid or to solve a problem, which is better?”

“Avoiding problems is better than solving problems.”

“Avoiding a problem – no problem, solving a problem – a problem.”

“An ounce of avoidance is worth a pound of solution.”

“Problems that are avoided, require no time solving.” I think I like this last one. It’s definitely short and says no more, or no less than what I wanted to say to my granddaughter.

TIME cover 07-13-1998, knotted stethoscope used to symbolize problems in the health care industry.

“Problems that are avoided, require no time solving.” Is the statement true? Absolutely – we don’t have to solve a problem that doesn’t exist, or do we?

Is there ever a situation where we solve problems that don’t exist? I don’t know about you, but I’ll admit that I do worry sometimes about problems that don’t exist, and yes, I spend time thinking about their solutions. In fact, now that I think more about it, I have spent a lot of time solving problems that don’t exist. For example, last Summer I was concerned about what to do if a hurricane would threaten our vacation on Hilton Head Island. I, in my mind, began solving the problem by considering where we would stay inland and “ride the storm out.” Keep in mind, at the time I was solving the problem, the only hurricane that existed was in the Pacific Ocean and Hilton Head Island is in the Atlantic. What was I thinking?!!!

Ok, so should we spend time solving problems that don’t exist? No, if it is a problem as exemplified in the previous paragraph. But, yes, in the spirit of using our thinking to imagine implications and consequences of actions that we might take both physically and mentally. In that sense, we might be wise to spend time solving the different problems that we imagine in order to see which action(s) we should take. An example of this kind of problem-solving is experienced when we play chess. Another example is when we have a “brain-storming” session.

So, is the statement, “Problems that are avoided, require no solving,” still a worthwhile one with a good message? I think it is, provided it is used as a guide and not as fundamental principle. Metaphorically, it’s like a good teacher who is the “guide on the side and not the sage on the stage.”

What do you think about avoiding problems instead of solving them?

What Does It Mean To Be Genuine?

Genuine Advertisement?

Are you “your own person?” Are you “for real?” Are you genuine? On numerous occasions, I have observed people trying to impress or control others. At the same time, these same people were usually not revealing who they really are. For example, recently I saw a person who I know has medicare, boasting that he would never trust a government-run health insurance program. When I pointed out that Medicare is a government-run health insurance program, he denied knowing that it was run by the government when he signed-up for it. I then asked him if he was happy with Medicare and he said yes. He then proclaimed that he had heard on Fox News that he should never trust a government-run health insurance program so “that’s that.” Is he genuine? I don’t think so!

How can we be “genuine” and not be aware of what we are really thinking and/or feeling? Carl Rogers once said, “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”  When the before-mentioned person talked about never trusting a government-run health insurance program, I don’t think he was honest about his own thinking regarding the subject. He was not expressing what he thought, but instead, what someone on Fox News said. He was not, in my opinion, genuine.

Genuine Love?

Genuine people are aware of their thinking and feelings. They see no need to act like someone they aren’t. They know their weaknesses and strengths. Genuine people know that knowing and accepting something isn’t the same thing as liking it.

Personally, I know I have many faults and I’m usually not afraid to admit them. That doesn’t mean I like my faults. I am constantly trying to improve while at the same time, trying not to be a hypocrite by “putting on an act” in order to impress someone. Of course, I have been guilty of being a hypocrite now and then, but I never purposefully continued that behavior after I recognize it.

So, what does it mean to be “genuine?” Using the idea behind the quote from Carl Rogers, a genuine person is one who accepts her/himself for what s/he is right now and right here. Once that happens, then change is much easier. Therefore, if you are not happy with who you are then you shouldn’t worry about it.

Accept yourself and then change. Don’t pretend to be what you aren’t. Be genuine and you will be genuinely happier with yourself! :-)

How Should We Approach Complex Problems?

How should I solve this complex problem?

Let’s say you have a real difficult problem to solve. Suppose it’s difficult due to the complexity of it. In other words, suppose the problem isn’t something like, deciding what pair of shoes you should wear, but instead, involves a decision about which medical procedure you should have in order to cure a serious medical problem. How do you approach such a complex and serious problem?

In my case, one of the problems I have to deal with first, is removing the pressure I feel for having to solve the problem. To avoid the pressure I feel when I’m faced with such a problem, I will push hard to solve it. When I do so without bringing in a large amount of patience, I often end up just “spinning my wheels.” Now, in a way, I “over-think” the problem. You see, I will look at the problem from every possible angle. I’ll collect as much information as I can – always, as quick as I can. I then, in my opinion, over analyze the problem considering the amount of time I spend in trying to solve it.  So, how should we approach these complex problems?

No time for intuition!?

I think the first thing to understand is that we generally, as humans, have a low tolerance for confusion. We want an end to confusion and have immediate certainty. This is what we want, but is this the attitude we should have when dealing with complex problems? Absolutely not!

Of course, we want resolution. Of course, we want clear answers. But, how can we demand solutions to complex problems and place unneeded time frames for resolution? We can, but we shouldn’t. Here’s my problem for solving complex problems, as I see it. I think I over-analyze it and end up being surrounded by the problem and unable to see different points of view, implications and/or consequences. I become immersed in the problem and not the solution.

We should always collect all relevant information and focus on the problem. Having stated that, I think we should also “step back” from the problem and trust the creative part of our thinking to help us with the solution. There is a creative, subconscious part of our mental make-up that we need to know is always there, even though we aren’t consciously aware of it. We use it, for example, when we drive a car, when we decide on the amount of spice in our meal or when we choose a friend. These examples might use analysis, serious deliberation, different perspectives, etc., but they also usually involve a creative part of our thinking that comes from a different and “unconscious” part of our mind. That is an important part of our thinking that we should bring into our approach to solving complex problems.

Creative thinking at a "snail's pace" might help.:-)

So how should we approach complex problems? We should not ignore concrete information. We should not ignore analysis. We should consciously add the “subconscious intuition” with analysis. It’s this subconscious part of our thinking that is an important partner with analysis and helps us do our best creative work. When solving any problem, including complex problems, we need to use creative thinking. We must create a solution. To create a solution, doesn’t it seem reasonable to use creative thinking? Turn your thinking loose!

What do you think?