Problem vs Solution-focus
Learning to drop the struggle through a solution-focus
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK:
“Focus on your strengths instead of your weaknesses; on your response instead of your problems”
THE MINDSET SHIFT - PROBLEM-FOCUS VS SOLUTION-FOCUS
Adopting a solution-focused mindset instead of a problem-focused one is incredibly empowering for our personal growth, mental health, high performance, and any other improvement-based process. Implementing our strengths plays a massive role in getting us into a solution-focused mindset.
Problem-focus Example:
Thought - I'm considering giving up on this workout/task; it's too hard, and I'm bored.
Response - That's a bad thought; get rid of it, don't be an idiot; what’s wrong with you?
Double-edged sword - All I can think about now is stopping, as I'm trying to eliminate the thought by focusing on it. The thought grows, and it's now harder not to stop. You created a compounding effect of the idea by judging it, trying to control it, and bashing yourself for it.
Problem-focus results in the long run: Decreases your capacity to manage negative thoughts healthily because you attack yourself for having them or allow your behaviour to be controlled by them; this affects your self-worth. People who consistently adopt a problem-focus in their lives are constantly moving between blaming themselves, and others for their problems. They are stuck on the ‘who’s fault is this ’ rollercoaster. A vast body of research shows the long-term mental health implications of a constant 'eliminate/push-through negative thoughts' mentality or a constant 'oversharing/blaming of emotion' mentality. Opposite ends of the spectrum, and equally as bad for us long term. We lose an opportunity, and reduce our ability to self-regulate when we habitually have a problem-focus. It doesn’t really matter where ‘fault’ lies. Responsibility to respond always lies with ourselves. That’s extremely empowering news if we have the right mindset!
Solution-focus Example:
Thought - I'm thinking about giving up on this workout/task; it's too hard, and I'm bored.
Response - Yeah, this sucks, but here is why I started; remind yourself of your goals, and think about the feeling after.
Holding the sword - This creates motivation and resilience by focusing on the additive/positive implications of continuing while acknowledging the normality of negative thoughts about shit no one loves doing all the time! HINT: When people do this, they often get caught up in the moment, which ends the initial thought anyway by focusing on others!
Solution-focus results in the long run: You build your capacity to manage negative thoughts and focus on a committed positive response in their presence while avoiding a self-worth hit. We develop and improve our ability to self-regulate every time we take this approach. We jump on the ‘responsibility’ rollercoaster. Such a good one!
WHAT THIS MINDSET SHIFT DOES TO OUR BRAINS
Mindset shifts like these literally change the wiring of our brains. Problems and negative thoughts are like the highways of our brains; problems are inevitable (you can't directly control them), and negative thoughts hold more power than positive thoughts due to evolutionary reasons. A problem-focused mindset attempts to block the traffic. It's all about how to eliminate the problem so the traffic becomes more noticeable and overwhelming, and you can see how this becomes more problematic in the long run. We reinforce the illusion of control over our problems and the evolutionary bias of our negative thoughts. A solution-focused mindset accepts the traffic being human brings, and lets it run its course, creating space for us to focus on building exits off it (empowering ourselves with responsibility). One of the most powerful exits to practice is implementing your strengths in the presence of life's shitty curveballs and the human brain's caveman wiring. The more you focus on building exits (solutions) off your brain's evolutionary wiring highway, the stronger those exits become and the easier they are to go down. You could become like Rafael Nadal and love your highway but drive on the backroads.
YOUR EXERCISE: STRENGTHS TRIGGER YOUR SOLUTION
Some days it will solve the problem; others will make it feel just a bit better. Either is better than struggling with it and making it worse.
VIA Character Strengths Survey - Knowing your strengths is step one. Take the free survey online. It was developed by the creator of positive psychology, Martin Seligman.
Connect the Dots - Think about contexts, environments, and people you use your signature strengths in/around. These are often the situations we feel most authentic. What strengths are you using?
Fill the Space - In the presence of a challenge/problem you currently face. What strengths can you implement in these domains or your response? How can you implement them? Generate small wins by implementing your strengths.
One Thing to Think About
How can you use your strengths to improve your physical, psychological, and social wellbeing? Using a signature strength that fits well with the three main areas of wellbeing can have a considerable impact. E.g., The character strength of kindness is often used on others and forgotten on ourselves. If kindness is one of your signature strengths, practice it on yourself to boost your psychological wellbeing, it's already worked on your social wellbeing.
One Thing to Remember
Your thoughts and emotions are just your thoughts and emotions; they're not these threatening things that need to be eradicated or these things that make you who you are. They're not going anywhere because our brains are doing their job. Practice operating in their presence, and you'll build up your ability to self-regulate and better manage them over time.