On a daily basis, a lot of people encounter a lot of problems, challenges, difficulties, and obstacles. Some people spend their time complaining about the problems and looking at what went wrong, while others have a different approach. Instead of focusing on what went wrong and on the prevailing situations or on the problem at hand, it will be better to focus on the solution. This difference in mindset is what differentiates a successful person from others. Having a solution-oriented mindset is the ability to look beyond the problems and focusing on what can be done to solve the problem or proffer solution to them.
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Being solution-oriented does not mean denying the presence of problems. It does not also mean that you are pretending that challenges do not exist. However, it means that you have acknowledged the presence of the challenges, but you are not held down by it, rather you believe that there will always be a way around it. A lot of the people who have achieved some mind-blowing things in various fields of human endeavours are solution-oriented. They saw problems and they moved to proffer solution to them. Orville and Wilbur Wright for example, they saw a problem in transportation and they moved to invent the airplane. Now, you cannot mention great inventors of the past without including them. By being solution-oriented, you stand out from the rest.
To become solution-oriented, you have to always look beyond the problems at hand, and look into what can be done about them. The truth is that you cannot stop problems and challenges from arising, but you can choose to become part of the solution. Anytime you are faced with challenges or difficult situations, instead of complaining about them or giving excuses, it will be better to think about what you can do to improve the situation. That is, instead of dwelling so much on what you know that you do not have control of, you should focus on the actions that you can take to improve it. This will make you to align your mindset to see challenges as opportunities.
You also have to take responsibilities for the things you can control. It is true that there are things you cannot determine or control, but the truth is that there are also the things that are within your direct abilities to control, so you need to take responsibilities for them. For example; a situation may happen which will be beyond your control. But it is still within your control to determine how to respond or react to it. Learn to take ownership of your actions, your decisions, and your actions. When something happens, always ask yourself what role you can play to improve it and make it better. Personal responsibility empowers you, because it makes you to focus more on the things that you can change, not on what you do not have control of.
In addition to this, you have to also be willing to learn. To develop a solution-oriented mindset, you have to constantly learn new things. Read books, attend seminars, ask questions, ask for advice from people, remain open to feedback, and see every challenge as an opportunity to learn. The more you know, the easier it will become to proffer solutions to the challenges that come your way. Continuous learning has a way of expanding your ability to find creative and effect solutions to problems. Do not wait until challenges come before you start to learn, you have to make learning your lifestyle.
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Another very important point to note is that you need to stay calm during challenges. You may not be able to make good judgement and decisions when you always panic at the face of challenges. When pressure increases, some people often react emotionally instead of thinking about it clearly. You have to develop the habit of staying calm when challenges arise. This will help you to look at the situation critically, analyse and assess it well, and think of a way out. It takes a calm mind to be able to recognise opportunities even in challenges. It also helps you to evaluate your options wisely, so as to choose the best course of action. You have to understand that staying calm does not remove the problem, rather it improves your ability to solve the problem.
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