Mandika olana ho lasa asa

Life’s difficulties are not yet problems.

No money — is it a problem or a challenge facing a person? Is illness a task to recover or a problem about which you need to worry? I don’t know which university to enter — is it a problem or a task to collect information, think and make the best choice from the available information?

Problem and task are two different ways of seeing the same life difficulty. “I don’t know where to go…” is a problem. “We need to figure out which way to go!” is a task. Often the word «problem» without thinking is used by people with quite positive and balanced thinking, for them it’s just a habitual negative pattern of worldview.

People create problems out of difficulties for themselves, but what people have created can be redone. Problems, as a way of understanding life’s difficulties, can be turned into tasks. In this case, the difficulty does not disappear, it remains, but in the problem format it is possible to work with it more efficiently. This is constructive.

It is possible to translate problems into tasks, but this is also work, and it is not always easy for everyone to do it right away. For a smart, vigorous and healthy person, this work is easy, it is generally difficult to call it work, but if a person is really ill and hard, even this action is sometimes difficult. Getting to the doctor’s office is probably not a problem for you, but for a person whose leg has just been torn off, something more difficult. Therefore, if a person is in a serious condition, if a person has great grief, or if the habit of worrying has grown into him and is supported by internal benefits, it may first be necessary to work with the emotions and state of the client, and then, on a healthier basis, to help him move from position of the Victim to the position of the Author.

When a person is in an adequate and working condition, the translation of a problem into tasks sometimes happens instantly, easily, in one move: there was a problem — the task was formulated. Crashed the car — call the service. In more complex situations, it is better to translate a problem into a task in stages, using a certain algorithm. The general scheme of working with problems, the scheme of turning them into something positive and effective, is as follows:

• Recognition of the problem. This is already a step: you have become aware of something as your problem. If a girl smokes and doesn’t consider it her problem, it’s in vain. It’s better to call it a problem.
• Problem with a negative wording. If you have something that you call a problem, formulate your task to get rid of it. Yes, this is a negative task, but at least it’s simple: “I’m lazy” → “I want to get rid of laziness.” «It’s hard for me to quit smoking!» → «I want to quit smoking.» It’s not great that the wording is negative so far, but it’s great that you have decided: it’s time to do something about it! For more details, see →
• Work task. A work task is a task with a specific and positive wording. In this formulation, an affirmation, not a negation; here you are already telling yourself not what does not suit you, but what you want to get as a result. “My task is to establish a healthy lifestyle: the points of Nutrition, Sports and Go to bed on time!” In another formulation — a positive formulation of the goal.
• What to do? We are looking for a way and solutions. When the task is clear, you need to start doing something. What? If the problem is solved quickly — solutions, if the problem can only be solved gradually, stage by stage — then you need a vision of the solution, at least some simple action plan. If it’s not at all clear what to do, then either consult with smart people, or do at least some little thing in the direction of the chosen goal. In big tasks — a plan to achieve the goal.
• The first step, concrete business. It is necessary. If you haven’t done anything within 24 hours after making the decision, put it out of your head, you don’t have a serious intention, but an empty dream and a whim, and you are a cheap professional net. If you are a serious person, then do at least a small, but concrete deed. Get up, put on your running shoes, go for a run. Albeit a small one. But from words and thoughts — you moved on to deeds. It is right!

In total, if we do not fix ourselves on the plan, then almost immediately we get the following energetic chains:

1. I’m lazy
2. I want to get rid of laziness
3. I want to become purposeful (or energetic?). Other options: active, hardworking, active.
4. Plan…
5. Energetic spend the next morning.

The social-cognitive theory of Albert Bandura described the same thing in its own language as the five steps of self-control of behavior. See →

1. I find it difficult to quit smoking
2. I want to quit smoking
3. I want to improve my health and rebuild myself into a healthy lifestyle. Options: I want to improve endurance, I want to have healthy breathing, I want to run long distances easily.
4. Plan…
5. I’ll start doing morning exercises and pour cold water on myself.

1. I am a very irritable person
2. I want to get rid of irritability
3. I want to be, as a rule, in an energetic and positive state. Options: I want to be emotionally stable, I want to charge others with my positive, I want to attract people with my cheerfulness.
4. Plan…
5. I will go to bed before 23.00

1. I lack self-confidence
2. I want to get rid of my insecurities
3. I want to develop confident behavior. Options: I want to feel in the position of the Owner, I want to have a healthy self-esteem, I want to be an example of confident behavior for others.
4. Plan…
5. On the way to work, I will keep a confident posture.

So, instead of long dreary conversations on the topic “I’m lazy, it’s very difficult for me to get rid of smoking, because of this I lack self-confidence and it’s all terribly annoying,” we slept well, did a small but energetic exercise, drenched ourselves (relatively ) with cold water and walked to work with a beautiful back, admiring themselves.

If you need more detailed guidance for the next steps, see the How to Solve Your Problems article. I wish you success!

Oh, yes … Do not forget that more and more people choose not to solve their problems, but to feel sorry for themselves and complain about life. Sometimes it’s just a choice, sometimes a bad habit, but even after reading this article and fully (seemingly) agreeing with it, people continue to complain about certain problems. What to do with it if it’s about you? Understand: the habit itself does not disappear from its awareness, now you need to retrain yourself. If you take it on yourself, read How to work on yourself, if you have the opportunity to come to the training — this is an excellent solution, in a group of like-minded people you will come to the result faster. For the most serious and responsible — the distance coaching program, a system of step-by-step personality development. Our recommendations are the Sinton training center, specifically Basic training. If you are not from Moscow, you can come to the Summer Basic Training, this is a great combination of great work and great rest.

Professional questions

An action somewhat opposite to translating problems into tasks is problematization, the creation of a problem for the client. Sometimes this is stupidity and sabotage, sometimes it makes sense …

People who seek counseling usually come with problems. The task of a competent consultant is to transfer the client from the position of the Victim to the position of the Author, and turn the problem into a task. See →

Additions from students of the University of Practical Psychology

Nefedova Svetlana, UPP student

After reading an article about the translation of the definition of «problem» into the definition of «task», I began to play with words in relation to different life scenes. I listened to myself and admired — it works! And everything is fine, if it were not so clear.

Yes, indeed, calling a problem a task, I tune in to action; there is an understanding that it is necessary to solve it; I take myself from the state of «victim» to the state of «author». In principle, I often used this method in my life. The article gave me awareness, I “learned” this tool and I can use it not from hour to hour, but always.

More than once I am convinced that in the search for truth one must begin with definitions. What is a problem? This is such a «stopper» that slows us down on the path through life, negatively affecting certain aspects of life, personality. Sometimes we cannot act, the problem paralyzes us. Then translating it into a task helps a lot. And sometimes it slows us down emotionally.

Example. In the morning the child complains of a sore throat. Is this a problem or not? Problem. The child got sick. I don’t need to translate this problem into a task. My mind, organism and everything accompanying it in three seconds independently translated this into a task even before my mind had time to pick up verbal forms for this event. I know what needs to be done, how to act and what the goals are. But the problem remains just a problem, whatever you call it, I feel sorry for the child, I know that for the next 2-3 days I am knocked out of my normal life. Personally, I use my own method in such situations. I say with irony: “Yes-ah-ah-ah, we have trouble-ah!” But I understand that this is not a problem, but in general there are troubles. I deliberately exacerbate the problem with a new definition of «trouble», I take the definition into even more negative, I compare the definition and the situation. I get a light emotional discharge and return to the tasks.

Or — a friend in tears: the daughter went for a walk with a young man, does not call, thinks little about school, the young man is 25, the daughter is 15. A problem that does not need to be translated into a task. You understand your desires, i.e. goals. You are ready to do something, but you don’t know how. In addition, fear paralyzes thoughts.

After all these thoughts, I changed the understanding of the article for myself and completely agreed with it. How lucky we are that we use our rich native language. After all, it allows us to discount the problem by choosing different definitions. I don’t know how many words on this topic exist in English, from which the fashion has gone to us to call everything a problem. It is necessary to use the Russian language, because the answer and solutions often lie in Russian words. My husband liked the word «difficulties»; you go along the path, work, and here is a difficulty, and that’s okay, you just need to work a little harder. I didn’t pick up an alternative for my friend, I just had to come up with a title, like for a book — “first love” — this is no longer a problem, there are a lot of romantic associations, you can calm down and think. Problem, trouble, task, hesitation, hitch — look for something that will take you to the positive or just calm you down, extinguish your emotions in order to move on! After all, this is what the second article encourages us to do — try to live on the positive. And it is true that any spoken word carries energy, either positive or negative. You need to understand it, remember it and learn to use it.

Dmitry D.

I’ll be honest, even though I’m an entrepreneur, the word “problem” has always existed in my vocabulary, and for example, when communicating with my hired director in the restaurant business, we always operated with this word and in connection with this we are really sad and in agony these very problems were solved. This week, talking on the phone with him about similar «problems», I suddenly noticed a correlation between my mood from the word problem and the word «task». In telephone conversations, he constantly told me that we have a problem here, and here such and such a problem, and here we need to solve this problem, etc. And I really catch myself thinking and feeling that somehow I feel sad and sad and I don’t really want to listen to all these problems. As a result, I suggested that he replace “problems” with “tasks” and a miracle happened. A couple of cases that were problems suddenly simply disappeared and he said the words: “Dima, well, I can solve this myself, there is no need for your intervention.” Other cases have indeed acquired the status of «tasks», and we have constructively reviewed these cases. And the third conclusion is important for me: «Changing the very essence of the task and conclusions.» Let me explain. We gave advertising on plasma torches (this is a type of advertising on large outdoor billboards). To my question about the effectiveness of this advertising, the initial answer was: “I don’t know, it seems to me that the problem is that we won’t pay for it and most likely our 90 have flown to that point.” Imagine what it’s like for me, as the owner, to hear about what I have in that. 90 thousand fly away. As a result, when we started the game of not problems, but tasks, the answer was: “Now it’s too early to judge, because our task is to identify the effectiveness of this advertising and understand whether to use it in the future or not. I need a couple more weeks to survey visitors, and I will definitely be able to draw conclusions on this task as well.” His second approach generally changes the essence at the root of the issue, and plus, speaking of the emotional component, I did not have the feeling of losing money or ineffectiveness of the idea, since we will really get a solution to the problem, such as identifying the need or need for advertising plasma torches for our business. Nikolai Ivanovich, turning all problems into tasks is an amazing find.​​​​​