How to Transform from Complainer to Problem Solver: Introducing the AWARE Problem Solving Method

I’m a problem solver.

It’s what I’m paid to do professionally.

But even if I didn’t make a living from it, I’d still be just as interested.

There’s something about finding the cause behind your circumstances that fires me up. It’s pretty much the adult version of videogames, and I love it.

I haven’t always been good at what I do though. For years I was a chronic complainer, known for my cynicism and pessimistic outlook.

But I’m a different person now. And I’ve spent years developing the skill of problem solving.

So now I want you to see it as a skill too. And I want to explain how that skill can be refined through a systematic process—like the one I’ll show you today.

The AWARE Method

I’ve taken all the problem solving strategies I’ve learned over the years and shaped them into what I call the AWARE method. And this method gets its name for two main reasons:

1. It concisely describes my system from start to finish
2. Everyone loves acronyms and I’m no exception

I’m sure this particular one is used for other purposes I’m not aware of (no pun intended) but it summarizes my thought process to a tee—and it’s easy to remember.

So why did I choose AWARE instead of some other combo of letters that happened to fit my purposes?

Because I want to emphasize that the best problem solvers operate on a higher level:

• Their understanding about their problems goes beyond face value
• They view parts of the world as systems and have knowledge of the cause and effect relationships within them
• They have a mindset that works down from a general picture of the environment, and then applies that viewpoint to specific problems on a smaller scale

That’s some kind of awareness.

Now I know all this sounds really abstract so far, so I’ll be sure to sprinkle in specific examples at each step. But for the most part, general and abstract is where we’ll focus. You can apply the general system to specific issues later.

So let’s take a look at each step of the AWARE method, and how you can make the leap from complainer to problem solver.

Accept

The first step to solving any problem is to acknowledge that it’s there.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people complain about the same issues over and over again, only to deny the fact that they have a problem to solve.

Maybe it’s a pride thing, but you have to realize that accepting the problem is not the same as allowing it to define you:

• Being overweight doesn’t mean you’re a fat person
• Making bad grades doesn’t mean you’re an idiot
• Getting rejected by a girl doesn’t mean you’re worthless

Those are just effects that stem from a problem that needs to be solved.

And while you’ll never have complete control over the problems you face or the situations you’re in, you can always change your response to them.

Now that’s not to say you have to become a robot—cry, get angry, go on a (tempered) rant. Feel free to let your emotions out in the beginning.

We’re all human, and we’ve all faced circumstances that overwhelmed us in the moment.

Sometimes I can’t do anything more than pray and wait because I know I can’t handle everything on my own.

It’s okay to feel helpless at first. But if you don’t accept the fact that you need a change, you won’t be able to get up later.

Who and What?

Now that you’ve accepted the problem, you need to define the scope.

The easiest way to do this is to find the stakeholders. So ask who and what are affected by the problem.

Does it only effect you or your loved ones too? Does it interfere with your work life, your social circle, or your whole network? And what’s the extent of those effects on these parties?

Once you have the answers to your questions, rank the problem in these categories based on severity:

1. Quick Fix

• Little if any analysis required
• Negligible consequences from unresolved problem
• Solved quickly, and may even solve itself over a short time (~2 days max)

2. Minor

• Simple analysis required
• Consequences can’t be ignored but aren’t life-altering
• Root cause found and resolved quickly (~2 to 4 days)

3. Normal

• Focused analysis period required
• Notable consequences of letting problem linger
• Resolved in reasonable amount of time (~1 week)

4. Serious

• More detailed and prolonged analysis required
• Damaging consequences from unresolved problem
• Solved over longer time periods of concerted effort (~1 to 4 weeks)

5. Critical

• Multiple rounds of detailed analysis required due to complex cause
• Unacceptable consequences from unresolved problem
• High time investment needed due to prolonged analysis (~1 month or longer)

After you’ve determined the severity of your problem, compare its ranking to any others and prioritize accordingly.

Analyze

Remember how I said we would restrain our emotions later?

Well the Analyze stage is where you would distance them in favor of cold rationality.

Emotions certainly have a place in the AWARE process, and that’s why I covered them in the Accept phase, but at this point, they’ll only get in the way.

You’ll spend the majority of your time here in the Analyze phase since it’s where most of the heavy lifting is done. And it’s analytical prowess that separates the good problem solvers from the great ones.

Now I know the word “analyze” brings up images of stat nerds gazing at computer screens, but good analysis only requires questions and a rational thought process:

• Ask yourself if you’ve noticed any patterns in the effects. And if so, what could explain them?
• Have you seen any of these symptoms before? What worked last time?
• Is this similar to an issue you’ve read about? How did that person solve it?

All you’re doing is asking questions and finding logical answers.

One strategy I’ve found to be helpful is to ask “why?” multiple times. Doing that will point to the root cause of the issue so you don’t chase red herrings.

If you make bad grades for example, just ask yourself “why?”.

You might say it’s because you like to party on the weekends and leave it that, but you haven’t gotten to the root cause.

Here’s a better way to ask “why?”:

Q: Why do you get bad grades?
A: Because I’m not prepared for exams

Q: Why aren’t you prepared for exams?
A: Because my professor is terrible and I don’t study enough

Q: Why don’t you study enough? (Notice I didn’t ask about the professor)
A: Because I don’t have the time

Q: Why don’t you have the time?
A: Because I get back to the dorm late on weekends

Q: Why do you choose to go out on the weekends instead of studying when your grades are bad?
A: Because it’s more enjoyable than studying (Read: I value my social life much more than my education)

Notice how we framed the questions to look for continuous behaviors instead of dead end reasoning. We also focused on what you can control instead of immediately blaming the environment.

In this example, we concluded that the student’s bad grades weren’t due to factors like his intelligence or his background. They were due to his decision making.

Now that doesn’t mean the root cause will always be on your end, but it’s important to check your own actions before moving on to those of others.

You can always change your actions. Changing others is a different story.

I should also note that the answers to our “why’s” were simple and pretty straightforward.

One trap many beginners fall into during analysis is swinging for the home run. They want the groundbreaking solution that answers questions people didn’t even know they had.

But more times than not, their attempt at genius is only a ploy to puff themselves up. And their grand idea stagnates into just that—an idea.

Good problem solvers know that simple solutions have to be explored before complex ones. You want to be a consistent hitter before you try to knock one out of the park.

No, it won’t seem helpful to tell a failing student that they don’t prioritize their education. It’s not glamorous to tell your friend to discipline her eating habits instead of showing her that new quinoa diet.

But 80% of the problems you face can be solved with simple solutions like those. You just haven’t taken the time to explore them yet.

Sure, the other 20% pops up here and there, and those are the real doozies, but always put the simple before the complex. Not only are simple reasons more likely to be the root cause, but the actions you take next to prevent them will be easier to implement.

Resolve

Now that you’ve completed your analysis, you can resolve the root cause you determined.

At this stage you should be able to verify that the root cause is correct and that it thoroughly explains all of the effects you’ve seen so far.

Once that’s done, move on to your initial avoidance and damage control actions. You won’t be in a position to stop the root cause from occurring at this point, but you can limit its influence while you search for a long term solution.

You obviously won’t become a stellar student simply by realizing that education isn’t your priority, but the first action you can take is to clear your schedule and make it one.

Knowing the root cause of an issue will give you the power to make lasting change. And taking the first steps towards that change is what the Resolve phase is all about.

Eliminate

The Eliminate phase is the most important step of the AWARE process.

It’s where you’ll finally remove the root cause, or at least prevent it from leading to the same problem.

A lot of people stop after resolving their issues, only to have them storm back later because they didn’t implement an action plan to stop those problems for good.

That’s why you should document your preventive actions and then say “no” to everything that goes against that plan. You want to mistake-proof your process so that it’s impossible to run into the same issue again.

All of this might require you to get a little “mean”. And sometimes, you’ll need to exert more effort than you thought would be necessary, but it’ll be worth it.

Your actions here will be the difference between freedom and an endless cycle of running back to your own vomit. So do yourself a favor and slam the door shut.

Complain No More

And that’s how it’s done.

You now have the the tools to end the complaining and become the problem solver you never thought you could be.

Stick to this process, and you’ll find that life’s issues are manageable when you have a system in place to deal with them.

This AWARE method had done wonders for me, and I’d like to know how you end up using it too. So feel free to share any stories or improvements in the comments. And as always, I’ll be glad to listen.

-Drew