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YOU ARE ALREADY AWARE of what the problem is. For example, if your task is to clean the carpet in the family room, you know already that the problem is that it is dirty. Now think of solutions. If you clear the room of bits and pieces, you make the task of cleaning the carpet easier but you do more than that. You actually make the family room look larger because you are taking out things that are not necessary. So the solution is going to be a very positive thing.
You know that the kitchen worktops are always filled to over brimming. Therefore, you know the problem. Stop dwelling on it and work out how you can make it less of a problem. Break it into smaller units:
● If I find an alternative home for all the gadgets, this frees up space
● If I get rid of superfluous rubbish, this creates space
● If I tidy up a cupboard, I can place the excess from the worktops in it
What you are doing is learning how to get beyond the problem and find a solution. If you think of things in this way, you begin to be more optimistic and instead of looking at problems as weighing you down, you actually start looking at something very positive which is solutions.
That way you are replacing very negative input with very positive input and when faced with problems in life, you are much more capable of being able to analyze them from a positive perspective and find solutions. This makes all those difficult things seem a lot easier to cope with and thus lifts your mood a great deal. It also means that when you do those small tasks that make up the larger problem, you achieve. People who achieve feel good about their achievement and don’t have to worry too much about the negative side of life.
Thus instead of fearing an interview, prepare yourself for it. If you don’t get the job, it’s not the end of the world, but you learn from it so that the next interview is more successful. You put in the work in finding solutions and sometimes these pan out and sometimes the result is beyond your control. You need to learn that you can’t deal with things that are outside of your own control. All you can do is put your best foot forward and hope that things work in your favor, but they are much more likely to if you face each trial that comes your way with a positive attitude, rather than seeing it as a problem. People who lack self-esteem seem to be stuck in this rut of seeing everything they attempt to do as a potential failure. By practicing seeing solutions, what you do is fundamentally change that attitude, so that you face new challenges with anticipation rather than dread.
The best business people and those who are the most successful actually plan ahead. They look at the problem but they don’t dwell on it. They recognize there is a problem and devote all their energy to finding solutions. That’s why they succeed and that’s what sets them apart from those who are too busy seeing the problems. You need to change the way that you look at things and start seeing alternative ways to deal with all the hazards that pop up in your life. The problem is that if you just look at problems, they get bigger until you feel that you are out of control of your life. If you merely see the problem and look for solutions, you are much more likely to find them because you know what you are aiming at and work your way toward it.
To finish this section, think of something that is a problem in your life and then split it into small sections and find solutions. Congratulate yourself when you find and act upon a solution and make this a daily habit for all the small problems that face you because you will gain confidence as you learn to tackle things in a speedier fashion and your mind will start to see things in a logical way rather than an emotional way. That’s very good practice as it helps you through all kinds of problems that may hit you at any time during your life. It’s so simple and yet people who lack confidence don’t even go there. They only see problems. They only see potential outcomes that are negative. By taking hold of your life and looking for solutions, you don’t allow problems to become so great that you cannot handle them and that boosts your confidence levels no end.
