Overcoming Adversity – The System

Overcoming Adversity – The System

In my previous article, I discussed one of the key components for overcoming adversity: having the proper attitude. Today, I’m going to talk about the other tool you’ll need to conquer any problems that you encounter. For it is not enough to have a confident yet adaptable attitude if you hope to achieve your goals; you must also have a successful problem-solving system.

Now, this may seem overly simplistic. After all, the types of obstacles that you’ll come across will undoubtedly vary greatly, so how can a single system be useful for solving all of these issues?

The answer is that this problem-solving system is a generalized, adaptable approach which can be applied to virtually any difficulties you face, either in your career or in your personal life. It is a series of steps which allow you to approach adversity with the optimal degree of consideration and preparation.

The first step is to identify your problem. The key here is to be specific, to really examine the nature of the issue you must overcome. Say, for example, that you work as a project manager for a large corporation and you want to get promoted to the position of vice president. It is not sufficient to identify your problem as “I want a promotion.” Instead, carefully consider the whole situation. Who is going to make the decision to promote or not promote you? What sort of personal history do you two share? Who is your competition, and how well do you compare to this person or these people? What are your advantages and disadvantages? Only by considering all of these factors will you have truly identified the nature of the adversity you face, and only then will you be prepared to work towards overcoming it.

After you have achieved a thorough analysis of the obstacle, you need to begin brainstorming solutions. The key here is to be flexible in your thinking. Try to consider both obvious and counterintuitive strategies—the more options you are able to generate, the better you will fare. So approach the problem from many angles. Keeping the above example, ask yourself: how can I impress my boss to persuade him to promote me? What would be the best way of approaching him? Should I speak to my boss’s boss? What would be the best strategy for dealing with my competition? By considering and answering these and other questions, you will develop a lengthy list of tactics to utilize in overcoming your adversity.

Once you’ve come up with a wide variety of potential solutions, it’s time to choose the best, most viable one or ones and to consider in greater detail how you will implement it/them. Break down your strategy to its most basic parts and then take the time to outline each step. As with identifying the problem, this is only worthwhile if you go into significant detail. If you decide that you are going to speak to your boss’s boss, don’t stop at that degree of planning. Consider when you’ll engage him, where, how, what you’ll say and how you’ll say it. The more detailed your plan is, the more likely you’ll be able to achieve your objective.

Then it’s time to put your strategy into action. Here, you need to strike a balance between adhering to your plans and adapting to current situations. If you stray too greatly, then you will undermine the benefits of your in-depth planning. However, if you refuse to deviate at all, then you will quite possibly fail to maximize your opportunities for success. So while you may have a plan as to how to approach the CEO of your company, and you may have specific points to discuss, you need to be willing to back off if you sense that a particular line of questioning will not be successful. The better you planned in advance, though, the less adapting you should have to do.

The final step is to evaluate. Were you successful in your attempt to overcome adversity? If not, then you need to go back and reconsider. Did you have a faulty understanding of the nature of the problem? Did you fail to come up with or sufficiently plan out a satisfactory solution? Did your implementation fall short? By thoroughly and honestly looking over your performance, you will be able to find your shortcomings and correct them.

By applying this problem-solving system to any difficulties you encounter, and by always engaging those issues with the right attitude, you will be sure to overcome any and all adversity that you face.