In this week’s MondayMotivator:
- Challenges make people want to give up, but we should think creatively to solve problems.
- Understanding new things is easier than understanding difficult things.
- In New Zealand, they used carp fish to eliminate weeds in a lake. It worked!
When faced with challenges or problems, a disproportionate amount of people just quit.
The reasons for this are many, but one definite reason is that historically human beings have been at a loss on how to solve problems. Many react aggressively, either solving problems by retreating or accepting the status quo.
What is called for is lateral or creative thought.
Understanding something difficult requires effort, whereas understanding something different requires no effort, only a willingness to accept new ideas.
Weeds suffocated Western Springs Lake many years ago in Auckland, New Zealand. After considerable argumentation and investigation, the council introduced Grass carp, known for its voracious appetite of grass. The result was amazing. And soon, the weed began to disappear.
This is an excellent example of creative thinking that not only solved the grass problem it added to the lake’s ecosystem. Unfortunately, many invasive species have been added illegally to the lake but that is a different issue.
When facing challenges, it helps to look at them as blessings in disguise because challenges force you to use your initiative and resourcefulness. Traits that you might never otherwise have demonstrated.
Remember, you have been given talents. Talents that are unique to you because of the way you have lived your life and the situations you’ve been in. So, I remind you to approach difficulties as opportunities to test those talents.
You might need to pause and remind yourself in the moment to do so. But it’s worth doing that consciously until you create the habit of doing so unconsciously. You’ll unlock extra creativity if you do. Think of tensing up as a form of locking up and shutting down access to your entire range of talents.
You could use this line, “I have many talents and will use them to solve life’s problems and so prove my worth.”
This week work on staying loose, sticking to your game plan and getting access to all your talents.