Next time you’re stuck trying to accomplish something that feels out of your comfort zone, try this simple hack:
I was struggling with Excel this morning (I sometimes feel I was not born to do excel). When suddenly I thought ‘What would Glen do?’ Moments later I had solved the problem and could move on.
Glen is a friend and we’ve worked together for two years. His brain works in different ways to mine. When we’ve collaborated on work before, I’ve noticed the kind way he would take my hodgepodge of a spreadsheet and remake it. Whereas I try to solve all the problems in one cell, he will divide up the calculations and permutations into different sheets and organize them elegantly.
By recognizing my old behavior, and then asking ‘what would glen do?’ I realised where I was going wrong. Then by mimicking his way of thinking I solved the problem in seconds. The satisfaction was immense.
The next time you are stuck, try thinking of someone who has helped you or someone who you admire and asking how they would behave or approach the situation.
What problem-solving hacks work for you?