Do you ever catch yourself Complaining constantly without doing anything to improve the situation? Most of us are guilty of getting stuck talking about problems rather than solutions from time to time. We vent, rant and rave to anyone willing to listen, hoping that alone will make us feel better. But simply obsessing over what’s going wrong rarely makes things right again.
What if instead of being problem-focused, we became solution-focused? There is incredible power in shifting our mindset away from the issue and towards resolution. By concentrating your mental energy into answering “How can I fix this?” versus “Why is this happening to me?” you Transform from victim to problem-solver.
The next time you face a challenging situation, try this solution-focused approach:
- Stop the venting. Getting validation feels good momentarily but keeps you absorbed in the problem space.
- Define the challenge. What exactly is the dilemma or roadblock at hand? Detail it concisely.
- Brainstorm solutions. Idea-generation is step one to getting unstuck. Ask others for input too if helpful.
- Research and reflect. Look into options before jumping to conclusions. Consider what has and hasn’t worked to inform the solution path.
- Make an action plan. Outline the specific steps you’ll take to address the challenge in a constructive way.
- Enact the solution. Answering how empowers you to shift from talk to action. As you take steps forward, the problem begins to resolve or transform.
- Learn and adjust. Things may not go perfectly at first. Assess effectiveness and flexibility tweak the solution approach.
Challenges are inevitable but feeling victimized by them is a choice. Developing a solution-first mindset cuts through the complaining and frees you to forge real improvement. Rather than staying trapped rehashing why something is difficult or unjust, bounce forward into thinking through how you will make progress anyway. Put down the problem and pick up the power to fix, heal, create and transform.
