Three Key Reasons Why You’re Not Getting That Problem Solved

by Jan Richards

You have one, too.

Most of us do.

It’s the nagging problem that you just can’t (or for some reason, don’t) solve.

Why do problem-solving impasses occur?

Usually it’s for one of three basic reasons:

1. You don’t know what the problem really is.

2. It doesn’t hurt enough (yet).

3. You don’t believe circumstances can or will actually get better.

Let’s look at each in more detail, along with a few things you can do to start to move beyond the “No Progress” Zone:

1. You don’t know what the problem really is.

Maybe you knew something was wrong. Then, in your eagerness to sweep the problem away, you guessed what was going on, and got to work “fixing” that.

All too often, though, that first, fast guess is wrong.

And then, all the time and money spent focusing on the wrong problem?

It’s wasted.

Gone.

Or perhaps the problem you’re addressing is just a cover for a much more challenging issue that lurks behind or beneath it. And that is one you’d REALLY rather not address.

Hanging on to the current problem, then? It’s a form of protection, seemingly.

What can you do if working on the wrong problem is the reason you’re busy, but making no real progress?

Make time, and muster up the courage to identify what your real problem is, and what is causing it.

Then make that cause go away… and the problem will go away, too.

2. It doesn’t hurt enough (yet).

Perhaps you have a high threshold of pain, or the company or team you work on does.

High tolerance for pain can be a good thing, up to a point.

Some companies and teams seem to take it as a matter of pride how much pain and stress they can endure… even is some of it is preventable.

(This can almost be a form of company or team hazing, but that’s a different discussion for another day).

High tolerance for pain can prevent you from seeing, acknowledging and solving problems when they’re easiest and least expensive to address.

What can you do if too little pain is what’s keeping you from making a problem go away?

Pay closer attention.

Notice the signs of change, whether positive or negative.

Find ways to track significant actions and desired outcomes. Look for trends. That information will help you to know if conditions are getting better, or worse, so you can respond accordingly.

3. You don’t believe circumstances can or will get better.

If this is the case, you or your organization may believe that others’ luck is just, well, superior to yours.

And at times in the past, maybe that has been true to some extent.

A big part of “luck,” however, is doing the work necessary to be well-prepared when great opportunities came along.

Luck is also a by-product of an active effort to make things better… not just hoping that they will improve someday.

In addition, you have to believe that change is possible for it to occur, and to “stick.”

Consider this:

– You can’t make change you can’t imagine.

– You don’t keep change that you can’t or won’t accept.

Practice, stretch and grow your capacity for handling success.

Be ready to enjoy the benefits you say you want.

Start by learning about others who faced, and met the challenge of success, even if they couldn’t initially believe it was really “theirs.”

Envision. Expect. Create. Accept. Enjoy.

Take the risk.

Enjoy the increased ease and success that removing an as-yet-unsolved problem brings.