Beyond the Rat Race: The Art of Problem-Solving

You get into adulthood. Obligations start to pile up. You got to do this and that. Your life turns into a marathon trying to get ahead of your problems, but you never do.

Is this what they call the rat race?

You know that you are participating in the race somehow but your only exit plan is to get unreasonably rich. If there was a way out that you could take today wouldn’t you?

To some degree, you feel like this. As if you are running with no end in sight. You have probably tried to get out. Did you try meditation, an elaborate morning routine, or maybe quitting social media for a while? Why didn’t it last?

As the existentialist and Stoics figured out, it comes down to perspective.

We kind of know this, but somehow it’s still terribly difficult to change the way we see things. If we make it clear in one context and apply it there successfully, we will at least get a sense of why and how it works. Changing your perspective that is.

Are problems problematic?

The word problem has a negative connotation. It implies that there is something in the way of getting or doing what we want.

We’ve talked a lot about motivational structures and dopamine. Mainly about how they affect our overall well-being but also how they link to our behaviour or our will to do.

Almost all of our decisions are made beneath our awareness. Because of this, we want our motivational structures to work for us and not against us.

The problem is (no pun intended) that as soon as you categorise something as a problem it gets a negative tag. When we then think about the problem negative emotions will arise.

Negative emotions are a signal for future avoidance of the present context. If something makes us feel bad this tells us that something is wrong and that we should avoid doing that in the future.

The bigger problem is that the actions required to solve the problem will not attach themselves to our motivational structure. Our motivation to do the actions will not be there, so we procrastinate.

As soon as we understand this, the problem no longer becomes the specific problem but instead, it is our negative categorization of that problem. Confusing?

We are wired to want to do and get things. However, we are not omniscient beings that can conjure up anything we want. We need to work for the things we want. There will be inevitable obstacles on the path to whatever it is that we want. It is a part of life.

If we can somehow start to enjoy seeing and solving the inevitable obstacles of life wouldn’t it be more likely that we get what we want? Not only that, if we start to enjoy solving life’s inevitable problems we’ll enjoy life more. Win-win.

Starting to see why perspective shifts are so powerful?

The way you view problems is not making you happier, or leading you to the life you want, it might even be the largest thing holding you back. So, let’s shift your perspective ever so slightly.

In marketing, they tell us that if we are selling something we are not selling a product, we are selling a solution to a specific problem. Because of chronic exposure to marketing, we have been programmed to think problems can be solved by purchasing something. Also known as the quick-fix mindset.

It is quite clever. If people are convinced purchasing power (money) can solve all of their problems they will spend an awful lot of time acquiring and spending money. Which is profitable for those who sell them things.

But, the programming of decades of clever marketing has messed us up in our day-to-day lives. We are terrible problem solvers and excellent problem avoiders. In a human life full of inevitable problems this can lead to quite a negative experience.

1. If problems are viewed negatively we are less likely to solve them

2. Problems are outside of our control (at least as they arise)

3. Unsolved problems pile up and lead to a miserable life

4. Solving problems is how we get the things we want

5. Problems are an inevitable part of life

Here’s where you get the “aha”-moment. It is not only this positive bullshit we often hear. “If you view problems as something positive you’ll be happier!”

This is terrible advice, if context is not provided. But, if we understand some basic evolutionary psychology, behavioural psychology, and perhaps even positive psychology we get a sense that a perspective shift of problems is somewhat profound.

Eve-psych tells us that we avoid what creates negative emotions as they signal to us that whatever caused the negative emotion is increasing our likelihood of death. Brutal but true.

Behavioural psychology tells us that our motivational structures have a large impact on what we do, what we are motivated to do, and how we get things done. If we are not intrinsically motivated to do something we will have a hard time doing it.

Positive psychology tells us that one of the most important aspects of a happy human is a sense of agency. Agency is a sense of directionality and/or control over one’s own life.

Think of it this way, if a problem arises we have two options. We can either solve the problem or we can avoid the problem altogether. In the ancestral landscape with the looming threat of death avoiding problems was not a successful strategy. Today, however, avoiding problems is the easy strategy.

If a problem is put into a negative category it will cause us to avoid what is associated with it, which will lower the likelihood of the problem being solved. This will over time cause us to be less motivated in general. On top of that unsolved problems will pile up, making us feel overwhelmed and as if we are not in control of our life.

A loss of motivation (the general will to do), a withdrawn mindset, and a loss of agency. It sounds like a terrible existence to me. This is the worst side of the spectrum. On one end we have the high-charging problem solver, and on the other end, we have the retreated depressed person.

We are all somewhere in between. And this is not to say that you’ll be happy if you become amazing at solving problems. But, I’d venture to say that it’s more likely you’d be happy.

Becoming A Problem Solver

Before you go transform into someone who runs towards problems as they spontaneously arise from the ether, listen to this speech from ex-Navy Seal Commander Jock Willink.

Humans are problem solvers, the best there is. We haven’t evolved large brains to run faster. We have big heads to solve big problems. We have been so good at solving problems that we are oriented toward them.

In psychology, this problem orientation is called the negativity bias. Humans are way more sensitive to what is negative rather than positive. This is what news media, social media, and marketers all take advantage of to garner attention.

This inclination to what is bad (or not good enough) is innate and difficult to eliminate. So, why not use our inevitable tilt toward problems as a superpower instead of a weakness?

Step 1 – Notice your reaction when a problem arises

How do you react? Do you grunt in frustration? Do you try to determine who caused the problem?

Step 2 – Remove your reaction when a problem arises

The second step is to become neutral toward problems in general. When a setback happens or you get a parking ticket try to make your reaction as neutral as possible.

Step 3 – Get excited when shit happens

When a problem arises, smile and say “good”. Now you have something clear to do. Solve the problem and move along. Nothing is as easy as it seems.

This simple three-step formula will change your internal landscape of action.

Think of it this way, the more we do something the less friction there is to do that again. The more we have a certain thought the more likely we are to have that thought again.

Imagine a mountain covered in snow. Let’s call the mountain the problem mountain. There are two sides, one is called avoidance and the other is action.

Every time a problem emerges you are dropped at the top of the mountain with a sled. Then you have to decide what path to take down the mountain, and the decision is almost always unconscious.

All over the mountain, there are paths. The more you’ve gone down a certain path the more likely you are to go down that path again.

When you categorise a problem as something negative you will almost always take a path on the side of avoidance. And remember the more you do this the more likely you are to do this again.

When you start to view problems as neutral you get a short pause before you slide down a path. During this short pause, you have a chance to do something you usually don’t. You are rewiring your internal landscape of action.

Once you get to this point you might be able to start assigning a positive value to problems. This will force you to subconsciously go down a path on the action side of the mountain.

Getting to a point where you always take your slide down the action side of the mountain will take a long time. Most of us will never get there but the point is to try.

Shifting our view of problems from burdens to opportunities is a profound yet transformative step. By understanding the evolutionary, behavioural, and positive psychological aspects at play, we can turn our inclination towards problems into a superpower.

The three-step formula presented offers a practical guide to rewiring our internal landscape of action, fostering a mindset that welcomes challenges with enthusiasm rather than dread.

The analogy of the problem mountain illustrates the importance of consciously choosing the path of action over avoidance, creating a positive feedback loop that propels us forward.

In the end, problems are not roadblocks but rather the game levels that make life rich and meaningful. By consistently improving our approach to problem-solving, we unlock the potential for growth, development, and a more fulfilling life.

So, let’s embark on this journey, slide down the action side of the mountain, and enjoy the game of life as it unfolds.

Until next Sunday, do what makes your future self proud.