I Have Problems
We all have problems. Things we perceive as problems are those we think are not right, or need improvement.
However, our problems may not be perceived by others as problems and vice versa.
Mom: You need to take a shower, you smell
Kid: It’s not a problem and I am not worried about it, not going on any hot dates. Besides, I took a shower two days ago
All our problems can be placed on a 2×2 matrix that looks like this:
Y-Axis has two columns: problems you care about and problems you don’t care about
X-Axis has two columns: problems you can solve and problems you can’t solve
Now, try to think about some of your problems and place them in their correct place on this grid…
For example:
If you are hungry, and you can get yourself food, it goes to the upper-left (I care about / I can solve)
If you want a Ferrari, and you can’t get yourself one, it goes to the lower-left (I care about / I can’t solve)
If you hear about a person in a remote tribe in the Amazons that needs shoes, it may go to the upper-right (I don’t care about / I can solve)
If you hear about a newly discovered black hole that may destroy a far away planet, it may go to lower-right (I don’t care about / I can’t solve)
Through life examination we should spend time on how much of our problems are in the lower-left quadrant… More importantly is how we either learn to care less about these problems or “not that much”, and alternatively solve them.
Why? Because of our misery comes from only one quadrant in this matrix.
References and Quotes:
Herb Cohen Ideas about Selling and Negotiating
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony”
Mahatma Gandhi
