An essay on one of Life’s Gifts

By David H. Lyman, © 1999

A lot of photography and filmmaking is nothing more than an opportunity to solve problems. Most of your creative and professional career will be spent solving problems. That is often what you will be hired to do—solve problems. Learning how to handle, face and overcome problems is one of your most important lessons in life.

    Learn to confront problems early, while they are still young and can be solved easily. Embrace them as opportunities. Working through problems is what life is all about. Do not ignore problems, do not run away from them or hide, hoping they will go away. Face them, no matter how difficult they appear. Problems only get worse with time.

Here are a few tips about dealing with problems:

    • Develop a positive attitude toward problems—problems are just opportunities to learn something new.

    • Seek out problems. Do not wait for problems to find you. A problem sought out is more easily solved. Problems that find you are already on their way to being difficult to handle.

    • Isolate each problem. Take one problem at a time. Take apart each problem and look at it as a bunch of smaller problems. Small problems are more easily solved.

    • Define each problem. Once defined, the solution is generally right around the corner.

    • Sleep on your problem. Define it, then let it go. Sleep on it and the solution is often waiting for you in the morning. Do not let your problems get the upper hand.

    • Take a walk. Put each problem in perspective. Is this problem really as consequential as you make it out to be?

    • Meditate. Relax, let go, give your creative brain time to ponder the problem. What's the rush?

    • Seek out help. Look for, ask and accept advice. Do research. Read. Ask others for help.

    • Explore your personal blocks, those attitudes which stand in the way of achieving success. Are you a pessimist? Do you suffer from low self esteem? Are you afraid of making a mistake? Of being wrong? Of embarrassment? Of standing out in a crowd? These are all character traits which stand in the way of successful problem solving.

    • Use a "what if?" approach. Play with the problem. Come up with a number of possible solutions. There are many ways to skin a cat; some ways are more effective than others. Find the best method for you.

    • Develop tools, skills and attitudes for problem solving. Once you have begun to solve small problems, you will develop a more positive attitude about solving all problems. You may find yourself actually going out in search of problems, just so you can use your newly developed tools.

   

WARNING: Once you have found a solution to your problem, make sure is it does not create a greater problem some where else.