A problem solver’s mind is geared in such a way that they know they have the capacity to learn the answer, even if they don’t have the answer readily available. By developing the skill set to learn how to solve a problem, they are capable of figuring out exactly what is necessary to fix the situation. Let’s look at a very common form of problem solving: fixing a computer.
When it comes to fixing a computer, most people feel very helpless. Oftentimes they will consult with problem solvers to fix said machine. If their email isn’t working or if something goes wrong with the software, a person can be quick to call a friend who is “good with computers.” This person who is supposedly good with computers usually has access to one secret that the ordinary personal doesn’t know. That secret? Google. Believe it or not, but most computer gurus know that there are potentially thousands of problems that can occur when it comes to computers. There are so many issues at hand that knowing the exact answer to a problem isn’t nearly as valuable as knowing how to find the answer.
A computer specialist’s job is more about finding the correct solution than knowing it off of the top of his head. When he goes to his friend’s house to fix the computer, he most likely is going to either operate purely off of experience if he’s seen the issue a few times before or just run a quick search about what the problem is. His ability to use the search function and learn how to solve the problem makes him the most capable individual in that house when it comes to problem solving.
If the distressed computer user would spend time learning the process of going to search for solutions and how to consistently sift through data until a solution was reached, they’d be quite capable of being just as skilled with computers as the specialist.
A problem solver’s job isn’t to know everything, because frankly that is impossible. Rather the problem solver works to cultivate a mindset of readiness to learn. They focus on gaining the ability to learn instead of trying to just memorize everything necessary to solve a problem. This might seem a little confusing, the idea of learning how to learn. But consider this: college students who take a class on how to learn will outperform college students who don’t take the class over the course of a year.
We often take the concept of learning for granted. It can be incredibly easy to just assume that you know how to learn well and then move onto other, more pressing matters. The fact might be that if you are struggling with the Art of Problem Solving, this could be an education issue. By spending some time learning how to learn well, you will be setting yourself up for success.
A problem solver has confidence in the ability to learn the answer. This essentially takes away one of the most intimidating things a problem often provides: the unknown. If you are confident that you can spend time learning the answer to problems, instead of being confident in your ability to know the problems ahead of time, you don’t have to worry about the fear of the unknown. You can just focus on learning the answers to the questions that you have.
