The Complete Beginner's Guide to Challenges

Disclaimer: This article is not particularly finance related, however, in my blog posts and website, I speak of embarking on a journey of financial education. In your journeys, you will encounter a ton of challenges. Enter, this article. Perhaps, it may be relevant and helpful in your respective journeys. 

By “challenge/problem” I am not referring to the “I cannot find my lucky underwear for the day so Im f****d” type of challenge. I am referring to a significant challenge that you are facing in your life, which is potentially life changing. 

Challenges can be extremely rewarding in the sense that, you have to adapt to the given situation and adopt a different mindset in order to solve that challenge. Furthermore, they set you on a path of self-discovery, that is, you notice attributes about yourself through the implementation of new creative and innovative ideas to solve that challenge.

How do I approach a challenge?

I approach a challenge by first controlling my emotional response to it. Emotional Intelligence will play a very important role in this. I believe that we cannot control a lot of aspects in our lives that directly impact our quality of life, such as the weather, however, we can control our thoughts and emotional responses which allows us to objectively analyze a situation and effectively formulate a solution. Through taking this approach to a challenge, I find that I am able to be more proactive than reactive, that is, I am able to get ahead of the situation and seize control by eliminating any further damage as opposed to responding to events after the fact. 

What tools and/or method do I use to understand the problem?

In order to understand the challenge, I begin by putting the facts on the table. For me, that means, answering various questions including; what does this challenge mean to me, why is it important to solve it, will it help me fulfill my purpose in life, will I become a better person after solving this challenge, who can I help with what I learn through solving this challenge?

The above mentioned questions are among many other questions that I use to truly and deeply understand the challenge in order to come up with appropriate solutions to solving the problem. In addition, it helps me remain focused throughout the entire period that I will be solving the problem. For instance, the questions, “Will it help me fulfil my purpose in life?” and “Why is it important to solve it?” not only helps me understand the problem, but also helps me develop a “why”. A “why”, according to me, is your reason for doing what you do. It has to illicit a positive emotional response, such as joy, happiness and/or love, for it to be significant, as I believe this is the source of inspiration and motivation. Having a “why” is what sees me through the tough times when trying to solve a challenge, it keeps me working 24/7 without “burnout”, it makes me never give up, even when I really want to. Your “why” will sort of act as your north star, guiding you through the periods of self-doubt, criticism from your loved ones, and loneliness. A “why” can only be formed through periods of self-reflection, analyzing your values, belief system, your deepest desires and what you want out of your life.

Simon Sinek has a more profound explanation on why you should Start With Why. 

Why is understanding the problem crucial to finding a solution for it?

How can you begin to solve what you do not understand? Where do you start? What resources do you use?

Understanding the problem equips an individual with the technical know-how required to solve a problem of any magnitude. It helps one visualize a path that can be taken to find a solution, by utilizing all relevant resources to formulate a plan that will be used in conquering the challenge.  It also allows an individual to know what solutions are relevant to the problem.

Any solutions to a problem or challenge that is not well understood not only does not guarantee the solutions will address the problem at all, but also may potentially create new problems. Understanding the problem is part of being proactive, as mentioned before, because it will help one understand the root cause of them problem and create any countermeasures or solutions to prohibit the problem from ever occurring again.

Seeking to understand a problem prohibits one from jumping to conclusions and choosing an inappropriate solution, which is likely replacing one problem for another, which leads to going round in circles and not providing any opportunities for progress and advancement. A lack of understanding is the enemy of progress.

In addition, it allows an individual to deeply reflect on the issue, which induces creative thinking that acknowledges our uniqueness and diversity. It encourages innovation and self-expression and the formulation of potential life and world changing solutions. Creative and innovative thinking provides a plethora of opportunities for an individual to improve themselves and the lives of others and it could all start with a deep understanding of the challenge at hand.

As previously mentioned, Simon Sinek has a more detailed and profound explanation in his best selling book, Start With Why, which is an amazing read! Check it out, to try and solidify why you are setting out to fulfill your goals and dreams, why you want to increase your financial literacy and when you are feeling down, or hopeless, refer to this book, and it will remind you, to remember your why, and help with solving your challenge.