Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Problem Solving is the Most Important Skill

Carter McKay
3 min readJun 7, 2022

--

Being a good problem solver is one of the most important skills you can have in life. Whether you’re faced with a personal issue or a work-related challenge, being able to find a resolution is essential. Whether you’re looking for a new job or trying to find a way to improve your current situation, being a good problem solver can help you succeed. There are a few steps to keep in mind when trying to solve problems:

1. Identify

The first step to solving any problem is identifying what the problem is. This may seem obvious, but it’s often the most difficult part of the process. A great example of identifying a problem is when a doctor tries to diagnose a patient’s illness. The doctor will ask questions and run tests to try to identify the root cause of the problem. Once the problem is identified, the doctor can then prescribe a treatment. It’s impossible to solve a problem if you don’t know what the problem is.

2. Break it down

The next step is to break the problem down into smaller, more manageable pieces. This can be helpful because it allows you to focus on one thing at a time and makes the overall problem seem less daunting. For instance, if you’re trying to lose weight, you might break down the problem into smaller goals, such as exercising for 30 minutes every day or cutting out sugary drinks.

3. Generate solutions

Once you’ve identified the problem and broken it down into smaller pieces, it’s time to start generating possible solutions. This is where creativity and out-of-the-box thinking can be helpful. There is often more than one way to solve a problem, so it’s important to consider all of your options. Writing down these solutions can also be helpful because it allows you to visualize the different paths you could take, and if your first attempt at implementing a solution doesn’t work you can pivot to the next one.

4. Implementation

After you’ve generated a list of potential solutions, it’s time to choose the one that you think will be the most effective. This decision will be based on a number of factors, including the severity of the problem, the resources you have available, and your personal preferences. Once you’ve chosen a solution, it’s important to have a plan in place to implement it. This plan should be specific and achievable, and it should take into account any potential obstacles you might face.

5. Evaluation

Finally, once you’ve implemented the solution, it’s important to evaluate the results. This step allows you to see if the solution actually worked and to make any necessary adjustments. It’s also important to keep in mind that not all problems can be solved perfectly. Sometimes the best you can do is to find a workable solution that improves the situation.

Why should you care about becoming a better problem solver?

There are many reasons why you might want to become better at problem solving. For one, being a good problem solver can help you succeed in life. Whether you’re looking for a new job or trying to improve your current situation, being able to find resolutions to challenges can make a big difference. Additionally, being a good problem solver can help you in your personal life as well. If you’re faced with a personal issue, being able to find a solution can be essential, to move past the problem.

Conclusion

Problem solving is a incredibly important skill to have in life. It can help you both professionally and personally. If you’re looking to improve your problem solving skills, there are a few things you can keep in mind, such as identifying the problem, breaking it down into smaller pieces, generating solutions, implementing a plan, and evaluating the results.

--

--

Carter McKay

Full-Stack Develop. Data and Web Dev Engineer. Problem Solver. Terrible at Graphic Design. Give me a wireframe and I’ll build it.