Episode 608 · Jun 28, 2022

How to Solve Any Problem with Creativity: A 10-Step Framework

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When business, relationships, and finances get complicated, most of us reach for the fastest fix instead of the right one. On this episode of The Daily Mastermind, host George Wright III walks through a 10-step approach for solving any problem with creativity and a fresh perspective, drawing on ideas from one of his longtime mentors, Brian Tracy.

This is not about quick band-aids. It is a repeatable process for thinking clearly under pressure, choosing better solutions, and actually following through. Here is how to put it to work in your own life.

Why Your Language About a Problem Matters

The first step is to change your language about the problem from negative to positive. The word "problem" carries weight. Swapping it for words like challenge, opportunity, or a way to improve reframes the entire situation before you ever start working on it.

When you use the word problem, it represents a negative. Using words like challenge or opportunity or ways to improve are a much more positive way to look at it.

George ties this back to advice from another mentor, Jason Brown: start from solution, not from problem. The way you talk about a situation shapes how you approach it.

How to Define the Problem Before You Solve It

Step two is to define the situation clearly. Too often we start dealing with situations before we truly understand them. When you seek first to understand, you are far better equipped to handle what is in front of you.

Step three is to use critical thinking to approach the problem from several directions. Analyze the true problem at all levels rather than reacting to surface symptoms.

Sometimes we're working on fixing the smoke and not dealing with the fire. Plugging holes in the boat only leaves room for more holes to appear.

Deal with the problem at its source, not with a series of temporary patches.

What It Means to Define and Pick the Best Solution

Steps four and five work together but stay distinct. First, clearly define the ideal solution, ideally from a place of abundance. Brainstorm every option rather than defaulting to the easiest, quickest fix that only helps short-term.

Then, pick the best solution by spending real time analyzing the pros and cons of each option. That focused effort often surfaces a better solution you would have missed by jumping straight to a decision.

Step six is to prepare for the worst possible outcome and how to overcome it. Sometimes you implement a solution and it does not work, so be ready in your mind and your business to accept that quickly and move to your next option.

Why Measuring Progress and Owning the Outcome Matter

Step seven is to measure your progress. Many of us hope for a result without tracking whether we are actually getting there. An objective view of your results helps you make better decisions in the future, even when a short-term fix happens to work.

Step eight is to take complete responsibility for your decision, whether it works or not. Do not get so invested in being right that you cannot move on.

Remember that failure is just temporary, and failure is just a stepping stone.

Step nine is to set a deadline for when things should be solved. A decision without a deadline is meaningless. For major decisions, set a series of short-term milestones so you can tell whether your solution is succeeding.

How Taking Action Closes the Loop

The final step is the most obvious and the most ignored: take action and actually solve the problem. Plenty of people get lost in analyzing options and never move. Take action, then allow space for attraction.

Approach any situation with an abundant mindset, a spirit of responsibility, and a willingness to act, and you will make progress even through setbacks. As George reminds you, act in spite of your mood. You will not always feel like tackling a challenge, but moving anyway is what creates momentum.

Action Steps

Rename your next "problem" as a challenge or opportunity before you start working on it.
Write out the situation clearly and dig past the symptoms to the real source.
Brainstorm every possible solution from abundance, then weigh the pros and cons before choosing.
Set a deadline and short-term milestones, and measure your progress against them.
Take responsibility for the outcome, then act, even on the days you do not feel like it.

Problems lose their grip the moment you treat them as challenges you are equipped to solve. Use these ten steps, take ownership, and get to work. It's never too late to start living the life you were meant to live.

READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT

All right, welcome back to the Daily Mastermind. Put your seatbelt on. It's time to get some inspiration, motivation, and education. And today I want to give you some of that from an individual that has always been one of my mentors and an individual that has spoken for me at different events that I've had. And it's kind of a staple in my arsenal of productivity tips and and everything from sales to leadership, and that's Brian Tracy. I've always followed the advice, wisdom, and ideas from Brian Tracy most of my life. And in a time when we're struggling to think outside the box and get creative with our business and relationships and finance, I want to give you some ideas in a framework that he has laid out. He's got this 10-step approach to solving any problem with creativity and unique perspective. So that's what we're going to talk about today. So if you're first time joining us, make sure you hit that like and subscribe button. My name is George Wright III. I am your host. And today we're going to jump through 10 steps that Brian Tracy uses to solve any problem with creativity and unique perspective. Let's jump right in. Number one, change your language about the problem from negative to positive. You know, I've talked a lot about starting from solution on past podcasts. and this just reinforces this idea because when you use the word problem it represents a negative using words like challenge or opportunity or ways to improve are a much more positive way to look at it and like one of my other mentors Jason Brown always says start from solution don't start from problem so that's the first step in solving any problem the second one is to define the situation or problem clearly see too often we start to deal with situations in our lives without properly understanding the problem that we're facing. And when you seek first to understand, you're going to be far better equipped to deal with a problem. Too many times we're just quick to jump in and start solving things and we haven't really established what the true problem is The third step in solving any problem is to use critical thinking to approach the problem from several different directions It super important that you analyze what the true problem is at all levels Sometimes we're working on fixing the smoke and not dealing with the fire, so to speak. So plugging holes into a situation only leaves the room with more, you know, when we talk about this analogy of plugging holes in the boat, it only leaves room for more holes to appear. Make sure you're dealing with the problem at its source. Don't just put band-aids on situations. Really, really, truly analyze and use critical thinking to find the entire problem before you move forward. Number four, clearly define the ideal solution to the problem. Now, I love this step because it says a couple of things. You need to clearly define, quote unquote, the solution. But I'd go one step further and say something very critical here. Make sure that you're brainstorming all solutions from a place of abundance. Oftentimes we're using the easiest, quickest way to deal with the problem rather than clearly thinking through all of the options that are available to fix and remedy a problem long-term, right? Not just short-term. So clearly define the ideal solution of the problem, which could be long-term. Step number five is to pick the best solution that you're going to use to solve the problem. Now, it's important, in my opinion, that you spend some clear time and focus on picking the right solution in this particular step, because if you simply take time to analyze the pros and cons of each solution, you'll sometimes find that you have a new solution or better solution when you've spent that time clearly analyzing each one of the options. Don't just jump to a decision or solution that you're dealing with that seems on the surface to be the best solution. So pick the best solution. And then number five or number six, prepare for the worst possible outcome and how to overcome it. This is all about being prepared. You know, one of the things I've done in business most of my life is I found ways to be prepared for things to come up even when I don't think they're gonna come up. So sometimes we find ourselves implementing a solution only to find out that that solution doesn work and you gotta be prepared in your mind and in your business to rapidly accept the outcome and immediately go to your next solution So let kind of summarize here real quick Change your language about the problem from negative to positive Define the situation clearly. Use critical thinking to approach the problem from several angles. Clearly define the best solution and pick the best solution. And this is really, you know, clearly defining the ideal solution and picking the best one to solve your challenge are kind of two different points. And then prepare for the worst possible outcome and how to overcome that. So you're super prepared. And then step seven to solving any problem with creativity is to measure your progress. Another trap many of us fall into is that we're hoping for a result, but not measuring the progress. Sometimes a solution fixes a problem, but not as well as another solution could have fixed it. You know, having an objective view of what your results are and the progress you're making will help you to do better decisions in the future, even if you were, happen to, you know, come across this solution in the short term that helps you. You want to measure the progress that you're making. Then step number eight, Brian Tracy talks about, take complete responsibility for your decision. Take complete responsibility for your decision, regardless of whether it works or not. Don't be caught up or too vested in having the solution be quote-unquote right. Take responsibility for whatever outcome happens and move on with new solutions if it doesn't work out. Remember that failure is just temporary and failure is just a stepping stone. So don't be afraid to take complete responsibility for your decisions. Step number nine is set a deadline for when things should be solved. You know a decision without a deadline is really meaningless and if If it's a major decision and it'll take some time to implement, then set a series of short-term sort of milestones that you can hit. Because deadlines and milestones are the only way you know if you're succeeding with the solution that you've implemented. So many times we just create a solution, we implement it, and then we don really measure it and we don really set deadlines to get the problem solved before reacting and going a different direction Number 10 and the final step in problem solving with creativity is to take action and just solve the problem. You know, I know this is the most obvious step, but so many people get into the analytics and the detail around problems and analyzing solutions and they just don't take action. I love what another one of my mentors has always told me take action and then allow space for attraction and I promise you if you approach any situation with an abundant mindset and the spirit of taking responsibility and taking action you're going to make progress in your life even if you have setbacks you know remember a couple of things I've mentioned before in these daily mastermind podcasts that we're putting out, what the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve. You can do anything. And if you think win-win, you're always going to come out on top. So act in spite of your mood. Sometimes we don't feel like solving a problem or taking on a challenge, but just act in spite of your mood. With those things in mind, you have everything you need to be successful in your life. If you believe what Tony Robbins always says, it's always just a lack of resources or resourcefulness. And you can always, always compensate for resources and resourcefulness if you have the desire. So get to work and get it done. I hope you have an amazing week. I really hope that these ideas will help you. I'd encourage you to check out more of the stuff that Brian Tracy puts out because when it comes to productivity, sales, leadership, and those types of topics, he's got a plethora of information. And I think this 10-step approach to solving any problem with creativity and a unique perspective is dynamite. It's definitely golden nuggets. So I hope that's something that'll help you today. I look forward to talking with you more tomorrow. Have an amazing day. This has been The Daily Mastermind, and we'll talk with you soon. Thank you.