Category: Problem Solving

…Stands for, What Would Jesus Do—and is a powerful framework for decision making that is/was practiced by millions… maybe even billions.

The idea is simple: when thrusted into a situation that makes you angry, upset, frustrated, etc., you pause for a moment and ask yourself, “What would Jesus do in this situation?” …And then you use that framework to guide your decisions forward.

It’s very helpful to use people as points of reference when we’re in need because while they might not have ever commented on how to handle each and every specific situation that comes up in your life… what they offer instead are embodied values and principles that, maybe we’re still working to embody, but can borrow from.

And it’s through this process of borrowing embodied values and principles that we embody them ourselves. It’s simply a matter of casting enough character and identity votes so as to tip the overall ballot into our default and ongoing behavior.

My challenge for you today is this: pick someone who can be this guiding light for you. Or maybe even better, do a deep visualization of who you are at your highest version and use that as your guiding light.

…Because trying to figure out specific answers to very specific problems can oftentimes only exacerbate the problem.

…But visualizing what Jesus, or Gandhi, or Mother Teresa, or Nelson Mandella, or your highest version would do—can oftentimes give you a clarity in a heartbeat that you might feel you so desperately need.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

But, at the same time, if it can break, don’t forget to maintain it.

Too many of us live reactively in the world. Running from one broken situation to the next, exhausted and frustrated. Possibly because ain’t nothing wrong with any of it until of course… something is…

But, if we spent a little more time living proactively… and walking mindfully in our houses, businesses, and amongst our belongings and relationships… looking for things that are vulnerable, weak, or susceptible to getting damaged or broken… we might be able to prevent so many more “brokens” in our life.

Because here’s the thing: just because it ain’t broke, doesn’t mean we should ignore it.

When in fact, a little maintenance is precisely how we keep things from ever getting broken in the first place.

Today, one of my best friends went through one of the hardest days of his life.

In the thick of it, he got devastating news about his dog and was confronted with a choice…

He could either do a 17k surgery or put his dog down… the same choice I had to face with my Stella.

It was an emotional call to say the least, but as we talked about it on the phone the two things I offered him was (1) call and speak to the people we know who have been through it and listen to their advice and (2) take a walk.

The first piece felt obvious since we had a few friends in common who have lived this experience and there’s nobody better qualified to answer an impossible question than the people who have had to make it before.

The second piece of advice felt less obvious but worth mentioning because it’s what really helped me when I was going through it. Sometimes when we sit stagnantly in our sorrow, it turns into a toxic stew that clouds our judgement and poisons our physiology.

Moving our body is a highly underrated way to flush the highly potent emotions that come with sorrow and grief so as to keep our thinking moving and problem solving ideas fresh.

It’s a strategy that helps with the impossible decisions and everyday problems alike. And if you can get into the habit of walking more regularly… you just might find yourself working your way through your problems more regularly as well.

A few months ago, I had the privilege of seeing David Blaine live.

To my surprise, about 90% of what he did during his magic show, I had seen him do online.

To his credit, I’m a bit of fanboy and have done deep dives into his content so it wasn’t like he was being lazy with his show or promotion. He’s a hulluva performer and will blow your mind any and every time you see him perform—regardless of whether it’s live or online.

What I found this to be a good reminder of, though, is the power of the internet.

The answer(s) you’re looking for in your life… are out there. Readily available. Just waiting to be uncovered with the right search, frame of mind, and dose of action. All free.

Some people neatly collect the answers and package them behind a price tag. But generally speaking, the majority of people who produce content are extremely generous and share what they learn and know for free.

What’s stopping most of us isn’t access to the answers…

What’s stopping most of us is distraction—we set out to follow one curiosity and get sucked down a rabbit hole digression. Or, said differently, boredom aversion. It’s only after we’ve sat with the problem(s) long enough, without distraction, that we’re able to bring clarity to our path forward, to clearly illustrate our circumstances, and to formulate action plans.

But, because most of us are so bored averse… we allow ourselves to get sucked down rabbit holes instead. And the magic problem solving power of the internet gets lost just as fast as a card from David Blaine’s hands.