“There are no problems, only projects.” David Allen, author of Getting Things Done
At the moment, that is one of my personal guidelines, if the not THE most important one. I use it because it massively reduces my stress levels when things come up which I care about, but aren’t really my problem.
I am apparent of four adult children, and grandfather to five infants. And like any such ‘ancestor’, I still care about their problems. Even the ones which really shouldn’t be my concern.
For example, one child recently bought a car. Every squeak and clunk is now a potential minefield, and I’m worrying about it more than they are.
Another paid for a delivery, in cash to the driver, and then the delivery company sent him a bill to pay that fee again. Made ME angry.
Quite the stress magnet, that situation. Feeling responsible for things that are in my Circle of Concern and potentially, but not rightfully, in my Circle of Influence.
All that on top of my own challenges.
But applying the ‘there are no problems, only projects’ approach takes the sting out of such challenges. A project is nothing more than an anticipated outcome to which a varied number of planned steps can be taken – you just need to know what they are.
Or to be more precise, you only need to know what the first step is. Once you know that and then act upon it, the next step manifests itself and off you go towards a solution.
And the ‘stress’ element of the challenge dissipates.
Try that approach.
It really works.
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