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As a software engineer, my main job is to solve problems. I am faced with business and customer problems every day. After years of solving problems, I have developed my own theory on problems and the problem-solving process.
The first step to solving a problem is to face it
It is tempting to run away from or avoid a hard problem. It seems like the human psyche likes to pretend that a problem does not exist, or that it will go away on its own. But rarely do problems resolve themselves. It takes a conscious decision on one’s part to face a problem straight-on. If you refuse to acknowledge a problem, you will not solve it.
I have found that avoiding or ignoring a problem is the worst way to handle it. Whenever I have tried avoiding a problem, be it at work or in my personal life, I eventually found myself facing a bigger problem.
To avoid major problems, solve the simple problems
A lot of the time, the underlying cause of a major problem is a litany of simple problems. Small problems can become large problems if left alone. If you let your email pile up and start using your inbox as a to-do list, you may find thousands of unread mail in your inbox. And then you start to wonder why you are losing track of important things.