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BFW: How Do You Solve Problems?
Dear Reader,
Hello Brain Food Wednesday readers!
Welcome to another edition of Brain Food Wednesdays, your weekly intellectual feast. In this edition, issue 232, we talk about how to solve problems like MacGyver.
Introduction: How Do You Solve Problems?
The model below is from The MacGyver Secret: Connect to Your Inner MacGyver & Solve Anything by Lee David Zlotoff and Colleen Seifert Ph.D. It’s helping you to creatively solve your problems. The model presented will teach you unconventional problem-solving.
I’ve always liked the hit TV series MacGyver because the main character has a knack for getting out of difficult situations. He uses raw materials that he has access to. Lee David Zlotoff used the technique described below to come up with the idea for the MacGyver TV series.
One weakness of the model is that it does not explicitly state that you need to gather information. But you need to do that. This is important because, when you think of the TV show MacGyver, the main character could solve problems because of his vast body of general knowledge. This is worth thinking about.
Step 1: Getting Started
Write your question or problem that you have to solve. It is important to write and not type. Immerse yourself in the problem before your inner Mac can find a solution.
This is a 3-step process:
- Construct a problem.
- Identify its key elements.
- Formulate an apt description.
Keep refining the problem.
Be as detailed and specific as you can.
Do not be concerned about overloading your inner Mac.
You want to start a conversation with your inner Mac.
Write any answers that come to you.
Tell your inner MacGyver to work on the problem for you.
Let it go.
Step 2: Let Your Inner MacGyver Get to Work
Let your inner Mac do its thing.
Find an enjoyable activity to engage in.
Do something physical yet not demanding.
Good tasks to perform while your inner Mac is working on the solution are low demand incubation activities, such as:
- Cook dinner.
- Clean the house.
- Work on a word find puzzle.
- Take a shower.
- Walk the dog.
Activities to avoid while your inner Mac is working on a solution. They will not engage your inner Mac because they are ‘busy’ work.
- Watch television.
- Read a book.
- Engage in conversation.
- Play intense video and computer games.
- Give your inner Mac a time limit. It can work while you sleep.
When you set aside a problem, you are incubating. You want to get to a state where you can ‘zone out’ from the problem. This is a common activity in the creative process. You work on one of the recommended tasks above to preoccupy your conscious mind so that your subconscious mind can take over.
Step 3: Ask Your Inner MacGyver for Answers to Your Questions and Problems
- Return to your question. Have it in front of you because you want to connect to where you started the process.
- Re-read your question so that it is fresh in your mind.
- Have your pen handy.
- Ask your inner Mac, “What is the answer Mac?” You can do this silently or aloud.
- Start writing. Write anything.
- Answers will pop into your head as you are writing.
- Write what you want, and it will write back to you with the answers.
- Give yourself enough time to recover the answers.
- If you are dissatisfied with the answers you receive from your inner Mac, ask the question again. If it responds with questions, that means it needs additional information, so keep the conversation going.
- Practice to become more skilled at this process.
If you found this newsletter informative, and you want to support me, please:
Sign up for my membership site Art of Learning Leadership Academy
You’ll find my Bookish Note of The MacGyver Secret along with many other Bookish Notes.
Warm regards,
Avil Beckford
Brain Food Wednesdays
Editor, Brain Food Wednesdays
Founder, The Invisible Mentor & Art of Learning Leadership Academy