Choosing a solution can be difficult. Choosing a solution can be fearful as it is a call to action, an uncertain step towards successfully overcoming your problem or abject failure. At this point we may have second thoughts as to our commitment to solving our problem; we start to think that maybe the problem isn't so serious, that maybe it will go away on its own, that we'll only make it worse if we try to fix the problem.
There's a lot of emotion involved in choosing a solution. There's no such thing as a "rational decision" or "logical choice." We use our internal rating system to rate our choices as "good," "bad," and everything in between. We make up our minds based on the emotions that we have attached to our experiences, knowledge, beliefs, and convictions.
Based on individual life experience and genetic makeup, we will all give a different emotional weight to the same idea. A person with more experience may find one solution "bad" while another individual with less experience may find the same solution "perfect." This is why it's a good idea to get others to give you feedback on your ideas even if they're not involved in the problem or the process. In the field of emotion intelligence this is called "Reality Testing."
Since we have our own individual realities based on our own lives and being, it's a good idea to get another's perspective. What may be "reality" to us may be something totally different to someone with different experiences. While one person sees a problem as the end of the world, another sees it as an opportunity. By sharing and debating our ideas we can get a better grasp on "reality."
Have somebody play Devil's advocate -- have them break the solutions down and pick at them. What's wrong with this idea? What are some of the pitfalls? What are the chances of it succeeding? Find people who have had the same or similar problem. What solutions worked for them? What solutions didn't work?
As stated before, choosing a solution from your list of ideas can be difficult even paralyzing. It may take all the courage you can muster to move through this step in the problem solving process. You may be sailing in uncharted waters. It may be that this problem is new and terrifying for you. But no matter what solution you choose and no matter how the solution turns out, you have a new experience from which you hopefully learn and grow.
Even through my most dire of problems I have survived. I feel stronger and more knowledgeable for having experienced each problem. I am more confident, secure and hopefully wiser for having gone through my trials and tribulations. History is full of stories of people who have experienced the worst of problems and survived, often times going on to accomplish great things.
I have learned to enjoy new problems because my only other choice is to go crazy with worry. By worrying and dwelling on the problem we miss the moment of the present. The present is all we have. The past is gone and the future isn't here yet. If we live in the present moment we can enjoy life. We have to realize that this is something we can't do anything about right now. We can plan, prepare, and pray but after that what's the sense of worrying? You might as well enjoy the present moment. Live life.
"Life, give me more!" is my motto. I'll face my problems head on with courage, fortitude, and faith. I know I'll get through that next problem somehow, some way. Hopefully I'll learn from the problem and become a wiser person.
Meanwhile in the present moment I enjoy life. Life is precious to me and I don't want to waste it. So I enjoy the present moment by being in the present moment. I ask myself, "What is there to worry about right now, right here?" The answer is usually nothing, so I enjoy the moment. It could be my last moment.
Next: Try Your Solution
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