doug smith training

The change we embrace is the change that solves our problems. Maybe not the first time. Maybe not the second time. But, eventually. Problems need change. -- doug smith

We can't hide from a problem. It will find us. Every single time. -- doug smith  

Sometimes we have to avoid the problem in front of us to solve the problem ahead of us. -- doug smith

Beyond the present solutions there are even better solutions to nearly every problem. -- doug smith  

  Every problem contains a promise.  That promise is a solution that leads to improvement, that leads to satisfaction, that leads to success. It's not guaranteed, of course, but the promise is there. Why hide from it? The promise of a problem sparks the seeds of success.  Find the promise, it will pull you toward the solution. -- doug smith

'It's irksome to get blamed for a problem. That can raise emotions that make solving the problem even more difficult. If we can center ourselves first, breathe, and release the blame, maybe we can see what path to take. We can solve the problem. Getting blamed for a problem we didn't create doesn't prevent us from solving it. Let go of the blame, wherever it came from. -- doug smith   Action Step: The next time you catch yourself blaming anyone for anything, just let go of the blame. 

The first cause you find to a problem is probably not the last cause or even the main cause. Keep digging. -- doug smith  

A seemingly random solution to a problem is still a solution. -- doug smith

Have you thought about how many stories you add to your life? We are so interested in understanding the meaning of everything that if we can't easily find the meaning we simply make it up. We tell stories to explain what we believe, even if what we believe has zero evidence or proof. Ordinarily, that's annoying. When dealing with a problem, that's a disaster in motion. Things we do to expand that story include ascribing motives to people we believe are responsible. They include interpreting words and actions as malicious, when maybe they were simply capricious. They include telling tales of woe and victimhood that do not lead to sensible solutions. It's another problem within a problem. But we can choose. Be careful about adding a story to a problem that only makes the problem worse. You don't want to make the problem worse, do you? You want to solve it. If your story is not leading to a positive outcome, maybe just maybe the story is wrong. -- doug smith

Problems have a way of recalibrating our expectations. -- doug smith

Ahead of every goal is a problem, and within every problem is a goal. -- doug smith

Does it feel like you're collecting problems? One thing leads to another and before you can resolve one issue another pops up?  It's like being in the middle of a movie when you just keep falling deeper into one hole or trap after another. There is usually more than one solution to any problem. If it feels like you're just collecting problems, try collecting solutions instead. You can't have too many solutions, so be generous with your generating. -- doug smith  

How flexible is your perspective? There is value in seeking a different point of view, especially in setting goals and in solving problems. Any way we ever look at anything is always a limited view. That's a broad (and possibly inaccurate) statement and yet what if it's true? Or, as my alternate perspective might state, what about it is true? Or even, what about it could be true? Sometimes we hold our problems too close to see what's causing them. Shifting the perspective opens up new vistas. That might be all we need to see the best possible solution. -- doug smith  

The root cause of a problem may be deeper than you think, with roots of its own. Look closely. Look very closely. -- doug smith  

You may not have found the solution yet but you're way ahead of anyone who's stopped looking. -- doug smith

  Intractable problems bother me. Knowing that a problem is beyond my control or influence is frustrating. If the best that we can do is manage with the problem, then manage we must but we won't necessarily enjoy it. Isn't it still worth exploring the possibilities? Maybe we CAN nudge that problem enough to loosen it from its mooring and start a new situation. What if tough problems aren't fixed but instead moved? What if the solution is in the motion? Let's get moving! -- doug smith

  Talking about what you want will do more to solve a problem than talking about what you don't have. Shift the focus and open the door to more than a thousand possibilities. -- doug smith

What is it like to jump to solutions? It's deciding before evaluating. It's picking the first thing that sounds right. It's doing anything to cut the tension of dealing with a problem. It may not be your best choice. It's easier to make a problem worse than it is to solve it so evaluate your solution carefully. Will it make things better? Will it prevent harm? Will it please the people effected?  Jump to solutions? Not so fast. Breathe. Evaluate. Select. -- doug smith

  The best thing is to prevent problems and the next best thing is to solve them. -- doug smith

"It's the end of the world!" "This will never work out!" "We can't possible figure this out!" Yikes. The sounds of panic are shrill and painful. Worse, they do not help. Putting a panic in a problem won't solve it, but it will certainly slow it down. It will probably even make it worse. Let's not panic. Let's get to work. -- doug smith