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Using Outcome Thinking In Solving Our Problems



To solve any problems, we need to have the outcome in mind.
Without any outcome in my mind, you can only avoid the problem, delay the response, or try to blend in, at the expense of your well-being.   

 The effective way to solve any interpersonal problem, or any problem in our lives is to objectively consider how the other person is contributing to the problem, what my response is, and how that dynamic is creating the problem.  But, before that, to analyse the situation effectively, we need to ask ourselves some questions.  

 The famous 9 questions / well-formed outcomes we need to ask are:
  1. What do you want (think positive):  we need to fix the goal and think how we will be benefited if we achieve what we want, not what we want to avoid.  This is not to say that we'll put what we want negatively or as a reaction to something.  I've prepared a comparison table below and I'll show how important it is for us to interpret a problem correctly:

Wrong statements
Correct statements
 I want to lose weight because I am fat.
I want to become physically and mentally fit and resilient. 
I want to stop smoking because it’s bad for health.  
I want to acquire sophisticated techniques of stress management.
I wish to become a gregarious, back-slapping, easy-going, colleague because right now my boss thinks I'm moody, mercurial, and aloof.  This affects how much information I share to get projects going negatively.  Since my other colleagues take smoke breaks together and I don’t smoke, they easily are updated about new changes in the team’s way of working.


I want to implement the techniques of interacting with people more regularly because my work requires me to coordinate in team projects.

I want to wake up at 08:30 AM every morning (otherwise my wife will occupy the wash room and slow me down). 
I want to finish the EMBA as soon as possible or else I’ll not be sellable in the marriage market. 
I want to gain more professional and social recognition and status and personal growth.  
I wish to switch jobs immediately to escape bullying.
I wish to belong to a workplace free from bullying. 
I want to immigrate as soon as possible to pursue a better life elsewhere. 
I wish to live a life of security and high living standard, and closer to the bustling financial centres of the world where my children will get the best education and upbringing at affordable prices.
I want to finish IELTS as soon as possible because without it I can’t apply for immigration abroad.
I want to replace myself in a new geographical position and see how life unfolds in a new society.



2.  How will you know that you are successful (evidence):  well, this one is about setting up specific performance indicators so we know we are on the right track and moving towards our objectives without losing time.  For me, I'll know this when I can run for 5 minutes in a row without tiring, handle stress smartly without needing to resort to smoking, develop anti-stress techniques solve problems creatively, have my applications for overseas employment accepted and so on.  

3.  Specifics / context:  specifically when do you want to become successful?  Think of the surroundings and the situations in terms of time. 

4.  Resources: do we have the resources we need? How are we going to utilise the resources? money, role models (people whom you look up to who have successfully overcome similar life obstacles, our social network).

5.  Wider consequences:  what are the wider consequences?

6.  Is the outcome consistent with the identity I hold for myself?

7.  Do all the outcomes fit together in terms of the resources, time, intellect, and social network I have or will I be burdened? 

8.  How much control do I have over these outcomes?  Once I start, how much percentage would I allocate to luck, outside influences and how much to my own resources ? 


9.  What's the next action plan?

The truth about achieving things in life is that we tend to deny ourselves many possibilities due to our negative thinking, and inaccurate perception about the world, the resources we have, and how superior or inferior our relationships with other people are.  

 I've listed the following outcomes for the next 6 months and by the end of July 2016 I'll do a performance evaluation of myself:

 1.  Relationships:  I will have 4 reliable contacts in my network in each of the following areas:

 professional -> alliances at the workplace, outside of the current workplace - contacts who can help me roll out the program, contacts who can help me in executing my vision in development 
Personal -> 3 close friendships, 1 life partner, 1 with parents.

 2. Personal health:  lose 5 more KG of weight.  Give up smoking fully and use psycho-cybernetic techniques such as mind tranquilizers, and NLP patterns to handle stress.  


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