The hardest part about solving business problems isn’t necessarily lack of experience, ability, or even resources.

It’s often our own emotional discomfort.

• The vulnerability we feel when staring down an obstacle we’ve never faced before.
• The uncertainty we feel when coming face-to-face with the ambiguity of a complex challenge.
• The pressure we feel when others expect us to quickly resolve an issue.

The last thing any of us want to do is experience that kind of vulnerability, uncertainty, and pressure longer than absolutely necessary. Our intention may be to solve the core problem as effectively as possible. But we may actually be more motivated (even unconsciously) to simply make the problem go away so that we can get rid of the discomfort it’s causing.

When we cave to that discomfort, we unwittingly focus on solving the immediate “vulnerability/uncertainty/pressure” problem, and end up rushing through the creative problem-solving process.

• We quickly glance at the problem at a surface level.
• We explore its possible root causes from one narrow perspective.
• We latch on to the first “good enough” idea about how to solve it.

Once we’ve built our fast-tracked hypothesis about the problem, its cause, and the best solution, we lock in on that limited approach in order to create a sense of clarity and relieve the discomfort we were struggling with.

But by refusing to lean into that discomfort, we end up fixating too narrowly on a single limited perspective of the problem. Our assumptions blind us to alternative viewpoints, preventing us from discovering or considering other solutions that may have a much greater impact.

What will you do today to start looking at problems in more than one way?

Will you start practicing leaning into the emotional discomfort that may be limiting your perspective?