Problem-Solving: Essential Skills to Overcome Life's Obstacles

Problem-solving is essential in life since it helps to get rid of obstacles. Several skills are used during problem-solving which include communication, analysis, decision-making, research, and dependability among others (Hesse, Care, Buder, Sassenberg, & Griffin, 2015). A problem is defined, its cause is determined, then a solution is identified, prioritized, and alternatives are selected and implemented. Most interpersonal relations and businesses fail due to poor problem-solving. For instance, protentional problems are not defined, and if they are, they are not being dealt with correctly. In many cases, firms depend upon employees to identify and solve most problems that occur in the company. The most challenging task is determining where the problem is and not the effects it has. For instance, if a source of a complaint can be identified, then it would be easy to find a solution (McPeck, 2016). Considering the five problem-solving skills - analogy, visualization, ordering, simplification, and framing, I have used visualization in the past to solve a problem.

One time as I sat in the classroom after my Entrepreneurship lecture, I thought about what I could do differently since I needed extra income. Life in college is costly, and I considered getting a part-time job would help me raise some capital to take care of some bills and make my life more comfortable. It is at that point that I began visualizing myself as an online salesman running my business. I saw myself establishing a domain on the internet and having a website on which I would use to make sales. I thought of the most lucrative business and considered several factors like the target audience. I thought about how college students love fashion and how they would order my products. I imagined myself giving talks on different occasions regarding how to successfully run a business. I visualized myself creating employment for other people through my business. Four months after that my business almost collapses as competition increases, but I choose not to accept defeat. I visualized myself telling a friend how I could have given up, but I decided to move on and currently making a lot of profits.

Visualization is a technique that uses imagination to solve a problem. Visualizing is most important when overcoming temporary setbacks by thinking of the most appropriate solution one can get (McPeck, 2016). By thinking and imagining, ideas and inspirations are created in mind, therefore finding an amicable solution that supports one's vision. Throughout a person's journey of achieving their dreams and aspirations, there is the possibility of stumbling and falling. In such cases, a person may use visualization to find solutions and after that get the strength to move on, focusing on the ultimate goal.

Different aspects have contributed to my ability to identify, define, and solve problems in a critical function for innovation. For instance, when I finally established my business, I was faced with a lot of obstacles, for example, lack of sales. Through clarity, thinking, and focus I came up with the idea that would make college students buy the clothes and accessories. I improved my marketing skills and gave discounts to anyone who bought more than three items at a go. Technology was also useful since through a website; I realized I could reach more customers to purchase my stock.

In conclusion, visualization is the problem-solving skill that I have used in the past. By thinking and imagining, ideas and inspirations are created in the mind, therefore finding an amicable solution that supports one's vision. I not only imagined having a business that would give me an extra income but also how I would solve the problems that would later arise. I used concepts like clarity, thinking, focus, and technology to find a solution to the issues I was encountering.

Graphical Representation of Visualization

-333375224790Imaginations

00Imaginations

4724400224790Identification of a problem

0Identification of a problem

42672005096510Implementing the solution to solve the problem at hand.

0Implementing the solution to solve the problem at hand.

38766753429634162877533439103810000953135109537510864855524504944110Thinking of a solution

Thinking of a solution

23622001772285Visualization

Visualization

References

Hesse, F., Care, E., Buder, J., Sassenberg, K., & Griffin, P. (2015). A framework for teachable collaborative problem solving skills. In Assessment and teaching of 21st century skills (pp. 37-56). Springer, Dordrecht.

McPeck, J. E. (2016). Critical thinking and education. Routledge.