The Distance Between A Problem And Its Solution

We all have problems, but of different kinds according to our life situations and choices. If Anyone claims that he has no problem at all, make sure that either he is not living or he is not from humankind. The only place you can see people without any problem is a graveyard. Thus says wise men. Cool! But, whatever the philosophies and abstractions about problems we face, we need concrete and pragmatic solutions to them. That's it. 

Yes, the actual distance between your problem and its solution is the gap between your proposals and practices to address that. Simple. But, HOW?

To understand this in an easy way, take a full size sheet of paper and a pencil. Fold the paper in half to make two columns on it. The left column is for your PROBLEM and the right column is for your SOLUTION. Now, write in the left column on the top as your first question, “What is my problem?” And, write your personal answer under that question. For example, I write, “I have no money” as my personal problem. Now, write the first question in the right column, “What is my solution?” Write your personal answer underneath. For me as well as for you the answer here is extremely simple if you know your problem well. For this, I write, “I have enough money” as my solution. Remember that your solution statement is always made as the opposite of your problem statement.

Now, write the second crucial question in the left column, "Why do I have this problem?” write your own answer under the question. Again, if you know your problem clearly, you generally know their reasons also. If not, spend some more time studying your problem. Anyway, my answer to the second question is this, “Because, I have no adequate sources of income.” You have to write your second question in the right column: “Why do I have this solution?” If you have a clear idea about the reasons for your problem, you are expected to know the alternatives to solve them too. Hence, find yours and write that down under the above question. My answer is like this, “Because, I have adequate sources of income.”

Through the above analysis, you have got WHAT and WHY of your problem and solution in the left and right columns respectively. What you see in front of you in the paper is the actual distance between your problem and your solution. Now, let us try to fill the gap between the distance by bridging them with an emphatic HOW. And this ‘how’ is the magical question that can bridge the gap between your problem and solution.

Write your third question in the left column, “How can I solve this problem?” Like my answer, you also have to find out your answer for your problem. Mine is this and writing under the question, “I have to find/create opportunities/sources of income/fund generation.” Now, convince yourself that every problem has its own multiple solutions; and, if there is a problem without any solutions, that is not a problem but a state of life. For example, if you think the loss of your mother during your younger ages is a problem, sorry to say that it is not a problem but a state of life which you have to learn to get along with. Because there is no actual solution for this at all. Learn to accept and accommodate everything that you cannot change in life and world, and to modify your mind set positively to go on with all of them. It's part of the art of living. So, write your third question in the right column, “How could I solve this problem?” And, write your definite answer under that. My answer to this question is the positive alternative of my answer to the equivalent question on the left column, “ I have found/created opportunities/sources of income/fund generation.” I think it is exquisite!

Let's get into the core and conclusion of this discussion. Your third question on your problem, ‘how can I solve this’, demands you to propose your options to solve your problem based on your current conditions and possible situations. Here, your options together are practically called your proposals to solve your problem. For example, my proposals to solve my financial problem include: applying for a new job or starting a new business or selling my competent skills to prospective clients or even investing borrowed money more lucratively etc and so on. You will definitely have many options in your proposal too, but start with the best in its efficiency and execution to solve your problem at the earliest. Once you begin to practice your proposals, you will feel like the distance between your problem and your solution also begins to reduce. And, that is what the gap between your proposal and practice or, you can say, your plan and your execution. Try your chance NOW!