Tag: problem solving

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Find the root cause

To build something new requires you get good at solving problems, and you need every advantage to solve them. Clearly defining the problem is always the first step in the process. Tease apart the problem and break it down into smaller pieces to recognize the type of problem you are facing. We frequently do not recognize exactly what problem we are trying to solve until we dig deeper.

Breaking a complex problem down to its foundation and generating original solutions from the ground up is called thinking from “first principles.” Write down your assumptions, then ask “why?” and keep asking “why” until you have exhausted your ability to answer. There you will find the root cause of your problem.

Often our assumptions, biases, and blind spots hold us back from identifying the best solution. To overcome those hurdles, use first principles thinking to reveal the underlying truth.

Here’s an example. I worked on a business that sold leads for home improvement projects to the best contractors in San Diego CA. But we were struggling to get ahold of contractors even though we were generating quality leads. 

They are in the field working and too busy to reply.

Most contractors are small businesses and don’t have administrative support.

They are doing the work themselves and not able to scale their businesses to hire more employees to support them.

Most small contractors enjoy working with their hands more than the administrative office work. Also they struggle to find employees to do the quality work in the field without their constant direct supervision.

Most of their business is from referrals from homeowners who were happy with the quality of their work.

The contractors did most of the work themselves to ensure a high quality job. Therefore the best contractors had too much work and were not interested in buying new leads.

You can see once you break down the problem and tease it apart, the problem becomes clearer. Use this same approach to solve problems at work or to learn a new skill. Once the problem is clearly defined, you can develop an effective strategy to solve it. Next time you are wrestling with a problem, break it down to find the root cause and develop the solution from the ground up.

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Sin

“To sin” means “to miss the mark.” And you have missed it.

Weak-willed. Timid. Malleable. You are mediocre.

How did you let this happen? Why do you continue to let this happen?

Your dreams of greatness lie wet and soggy, like a loaf of bread left out in the rain.

You can’t stay on course. Your plans are uprooted like a sapling pushed over by a weak gust of wind.

You live as if you have no power to resist. No will. No agency. No strength. Your moments of resolve break like the weakest link in a chain.

You feel sorry for yourself because you think you deserve better. Have you earned it? Do you deserve more when you are so easily distracted?

A few drops of water extinguish your burning desire to achieve. You recoil at the slightest pain. You’re always seeking comfort. Greatness cannot be found there.

You must push through your weakness of will. Pick up and shoulder the weight of responsibility and do not drop it.

Your weakness is rooted in fear. Afraid of judgement, you contort yourself like a circus performer. Your lack of courage is repulsive.

Fear wraps around you like boa constrictor—squeezing your voice and crushing your creativity. You even fear the judgment of strangers walking near you on the street or sitting next to you in a restaurant. Why? Why do you care more about their opinions than your own?

Why are you so afraid? How long will you allow your fear to rule your decisions?

Was it fear that allowed mediocre people to sculpt your beliefs? You failed to question, probe, and puncture the assumptions and instead accepted and believed out of laziness. Is it really a surprise you were so wrong?

Like a sponge, you soaked up the ideas in your environment without caution or thoughtful consideration. Distorting, bending, and forcing reality to fit your limited ability has disfigured your mind.

Errors of overconfidence and misplaced certainty litter your life with failure. How many times do you need to fail before you learn?

Beliefs were not all you sponged up from the people around you. Constantly seeking affirmation, you began to model their vices: drowning your sense of purpose in alcohol. Desiring, wanting, consuming. Never satisfied. Never content.

The fat on your body testifies to bad decisions. Fuzzy black mold rots your brain as you scroll through useless information, hour after hour.

You don’t have time to waste. You don’t have to live this way; get up and get going.

The antidote to sin.

Don’t act like a victim. Victim mentality will rob you of your agency and power. Take action to improve your situation and be grateful you’re not rotting in the ground.

Embrace responsibility. Own your strengths, weaknesses, and position in life. Take responsibility for your actions and own the outcomes. 

Follow your interests. Build specific knowledge around your interests and find something you love to do. You will gain unfair competitive advantage because your passion will push you to work harder than other people and spur you to be creative and innovative in your field.

Create meaning. Find meaning by shouldering as much responsibility as you can manage, building competence, and contributing value.

Aim with purpose. Identify what you want in the long term and aim for that.

Update your identity. The most important step in building the life you want is to embrace the identity of who you want to become. Identity is shaped by your beliefs, behavior, and worldview. Self-development requires continually learning and upgrading your identity. The stories you tell yourself about your experiences shape your identity and mental state. Your mental state is your reality.

Build daily habits. You need goals to know where you are going and daily habits to help you get there. Get a little better every day. Consistency develops ability. Few things impact the quality of your life more than daily habits. Good habits help you become the person you want to be, whereas bad habits lead to pain, suffering, and self-loathing.

Upgrade your friends. Don’t underestimate the power of the people around you to influence your behavior. The social norms of your group shape your behavior. Surround yourself with people who push you to be better and give you feedback. Direct, honest feedback is hard to find because very few people are willing to tell you the truth. Most people want to avoid conflict, and they don’t want to jeopardize their relationship with you. 

Nobody’s going to do the work for you. You can do better. Dare to be great. Define your future. Take aim, shoot, calibrate, and repeat until you hit the mark. The worst sin of all is to quit trying.