I'm not a very good billiards player. When I hit the cue ball who knows what will happen. Sometimes I hit the ball that I'm aiming at, but most often I don't. And, sometimes the ball hits a ball I didn't intend to hit and pool disaster results with the cue ball entering the pocket. I'd much rather ride a bike or go for a walk.
Solving problems can be like that for some people. The more you try, the more the ball seems to careen out of control causing all sorts of new problems. Problems cascade into problems and before you know it, the fun drains out of it.
Centered problem solving considers the effects of a solution on other problems.
Just like that cue ball, any action you take to solve a problem impacts other people, places and things. What will you do when it does? How do you plan for the effects? What happens if it stops being fun?
The fun must come from within. The fun must be in exploring the process and changing the pieces as you go, including the pieces of yourself that pull you to extremes. It's in these extremes that big problems turn into bigger problems. Problem solvers who center themselves first and who use a balance of their strengths in clarity, courage, creativity and compassion will find a different outcome. The metaphorical cue ball may still go askew, but now there is focus and patience to try again.
Because you do want to solve the problem, don't you?
-- Douglas Brent Smith
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