Should You Ignore or Tackle That Problem?

So, you’ve got a problem that you’re trying to solve. There are really two main ways to address your problem. You can ignore it or you can tackle it. Surprisingly, both ways to deal with it are effective. Not every problem needs to be tackled, and not every problem should be ignored. Let’s talk about this a little bit…

Let’s start with ignoring your problem. Usually, we hear “ignore” and we think this is a negative thing. It can be negative, but it can also be positive! When we think of the word “ignore”, we usually think of other negative words similar to it – words like forget and neglect. We think of ignoring something as something that we don’t want to do. But, some problems may actually become better by ignoring them.

Let’s first use another word that may come to mind – avoid. Some problems are best solved by avoiding them. A lot of conflict is better avoided. Not giving into conflict and avoiding it is often times the best way to handle conflict. Even if you’re completely prepared to fight, sometimes it’s best not to. You never know what the other person is willing to do. Similarly, if a problem is something that may end up harming you in the end, it’s probably better avoided.

Some problems actually become bigger the more attention you give them. Think of feeling frustrated about something that’s out of your control. When you continue to focus on that problem, you’re actually making that problem stronger. Think of it as lifting weights – except your problem is doing it, not you! The more attention you give it, the more pressure you apply to it, and as it pushes back (because it’s something that you can’t control), you actually make the problem stronger. In cases where it’s a problem that you can’t control, you may be better of ignoring it.

James Clear says, “Attention is the oxygen of conflict. When you fight a problem, you breathe life into it. When you starve a problem of your attention, you suffocate it.” Sometimes, problems are best left ignored. You might find that the problem isn’t what you made it out to be or that it passes. Some problems are better left ignored than tackled.

Not all problems should be ignored though! Some problems need to be addressed head on! Let’s talk about tackling your problem. Your problem may be well within your control, or your problem might be the kind of problem that you just can’t ignore. Your health and your grades are examples of problems that won’t get better with ignoring them.

Think about your problem. If ignored, could it get better? Would it definitely get worse by ignoring it? These are the types or problems that need to be tackled. In these cases, you should definitely be taking action to tackle your problem!

It’s best not to jump straight into it though, without understanding it. Take some time to understand the problem that you’re facing. Are there different ways to solve it? How have others solved similar problems? Is there anybody that you can go to for advice?

It’s important to understand that not all problems can be solved all at once! Tackling a problem is a process, with action taken to tackle it over and over. In these cases, it’s best to break down your problem into smaller problems. Find the smaller problems that can be solved within your bigger problem. Often times, what you learn by solving the smaller problems will help you to solve the bigger ones. Breaking down your problem into manageable pieces can help you to feel more in control and make progress.

Not every problem should be ignored, and not every problem should be tackled. Sometimes, avoidance is the best way to solve a problem, as you rob it of its oxygen. Sometimes, a problem needs to be tackled head on. When you’re tackling a problem, be sure to understand the best way to approach it, and whether it can be broken down into smaller, manageable problems.