thinking...

That’s an interesting question to ponder, and I must admit that I don’t think I’ve ever really sat down and truly thought about how I think about a problem that I am writing about. I suppose I try my best to see the problem with a clear and concise point of view. If I can clearly see and understand the problem, it is much easier to solve. Then I ask myself ‘just what exactly is the problem?’ and I do my best to jot down what that is and begin looking at it from as many different angles as possible, hoping that a solution will illuminate itself to me. The first question I ask myself is usually something like, “what does this problem really about?” If I can get a concrete definition of the problem, it becomes that much easier to solve. Then, I ask myself ‘‘what if?’’ questions, like ‘‘what would happen if I tried this solution to solve my problem?’’ and then I try and think of the logical consequences of that plan of action. If the possible outcome doesn’t seem to be beneficial, then I try and think of another solution. I try to avoid questions that enlarge the problem instead of dissolve it. I’m the type of person that can become easily overwhelmed and bogged down by the list of things I have to do, and if I start asking questions that complicate my situation, it makes it more difficult to solve. To push my thinking, I try and look at the problem from a different angle than I normally would, and that usually brings a solution. Wow, my brain is tired from thinking about thinking about how I write about problems.