You Only Make Progress When Solving The Most Critical Problem

If you work hard and still stay the same as you are, you've been working on the wrong thing.

We often put off important tasks, such as solving the most critical problems.

However, unless the problem we solve makes everything easier, most of them are irrelevant.

Problems don’t go away unless you solve the most critical one.

And oftentimes, we don’t identify, address, and solve the most critical problem.

We end up solving the second and third items on the list.

Solving the non critical problem makes you feel like progress, but it steer you away from your goal. Your main problems are still there, unresolved.

So, here’s how you can learn to solve the critical problem.

1. Identify your goal:

What do you really want to achieve right now?

Write it down on a piece of paper, a white board, or any place that you can see them everyday.

2. Identify the main problem:

List out all the problems that you’re facing right now.

Rank them, based on the hardest, from the first to last.

The main problem is often the hardest and heaviest. It’s the biggest that are stopping you from reaching your goal. It’s the 1st rank on your list.

Break the main problem down into smaller, manageable task, and start tackling each task one by one.

3. Fill your knowledge gaps:

When you solve the main problem, you will find out that there are skills that you lack.

Make time to learn those skills to assist you tackle those problems.

4. Say no to everything else:

If you have a goal to achieve, you will face problems, challenges, and obstacles.

To reach your goal, your focus is on solving the critical problem, day by day, from the time you wake up, till the time you go back to bed.

All other tips, tricks, and even great ideas are pure distractions.

By focusing on the main problem and being patient, you can close the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

Remember, you only make progress when you start solving the main problem.

---