I implemented a new approach for problem-solving in my life

[PoetPhilosopher]

I recently faced a couple of complex situations in my life. They were like a paradox, and it seemed they couldn't be solved. The more I tried to fix the situation, the worse it got.

Then I realized. When there's a paradox, you don't always have to defeat or solve the paradox. Sometimes the solution is either stepping outside of the paradox, or stepping outside of it and brainstorming with an open mind. And relooking your former positions.

Defeating a paradox is more difficult. It could happen. But you also have to be careful that, when trying to defeat a paradox, you don't just create a larger and/or more complex paradox.

So, I can't say this idea will work for everyone, but it solved pretty much all of my problems I have currently, and until I get new problems, I'm just sitting here a bit more care-free than I was before.

I realize what I stated is kind of an abstract concept. So I made pictures. Here is what a lot of normal problems look like to me:

And here is how I've been managing to solve them now:

The green dot is your new position in problem solving. The purple lines are your field of view. The black dot is the position you held. The red dot is the "problem". The blue line is the paradox. Notice the green dot is outside of the paradox leading up to your problem, and the position you were holding before.

This is a relatively new idea and approach for me. And it hasn't been tested extensively, so it may not always work or even work the majority of the time. But I'm happy with the success it has brought me so far.

 

[Heyo]

I recently faced a couple of complex situations in my life. They were like a paradox, and it seemed they couldn't be solved. The more I tried to fix the situation, the worse it got.

Then I realized. When there's a paradox, you don't always have to defeat or solve the paradox. Sometimes the solution is either stepping outside of the paradox, or stepping outside of it and brainstorming with an open mind. And relooking your former positions.

Defeating a paradox is more difficult. It could happen. But you also have to be careful that, when trying to defeat a paradox, you don't just create a larger and/or more complex paradox.

So, I can't say this idea will work for everyone, but it solved pretty much all of my problems I have currently, and until I get new problems, I'm just sitting here a bit more care-free than I was before.

I realize what I stated is kind of an abstract concept. So I made pictures. Here is what a lot of normal problems look like to me:

View attachment 82255

And here is how I've been managing to solve them now:

View attachment 82256


The green dot is your new position in problem solving. The purple lines are your field of view. The black dot is the position you held. The red dot is the "problem". The blue line is the paradox. Notice the green dot is outside of the paradox leading up to your problem, and the position you were holding before.

This is a relatively new idea and approach for me. And it hasn't been tested extensively, so it may not always work or even work the majority of the time. But I'm happy with the success it has brought me so far.

Stepping out of the box is always a good idea, even if the result of the different vantage point is that the problem can only be solved from within.
Another important question to ask when facing a problem is "who's problem is it anyways?".
While many people tend to project their problem onto other people*, sometimes it is the other way around. Identifying who is responsible should be the first step (which may need a different perspective).

*Typical miss-attributed problem: modesty laws. An old man with too much imagination and too much power finds that he gets distracted by "skimpy" clad girls. Solution: make them wear "modest" cloths. Hey, old man, that was your problem. Just don't look.