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“Rethink your approach…” The theme for a series of Neutrogena print ads

Good morning! During interviews, I am often asked how I have achieved certain accomplishments. In the past, answering this question was always challenging. I found it difficult to articulate a “core” of achievements until stumbling on this Neutrogena advertisement. “Rethink your approach” summarizes a vital and crucial component between achieving and abandoning a goal.

Imagine you are driving to a very important, long-planned, family get-together. While driving, you encounter a closed road. What do you do? Do you rethink your approach? My guess is that you would retrieve your map or just wing it by taking an alternate route; perhaps you might call someone at the gathering and ask what route he used to maneuver around the road block.

When faced with blocks on the road of dreams, too often people do not reach for a map or try an alternate route. Instead they idle, or they park, or sometimes simply wait for “something” to happen. When it comes to personal problems, rarely do we demonstrate the same alternative thinking we use to solve more practical problems like a road block.

If I were to park, idle, or wait, I would likely starve or freeze while sitting in my car and waiting for the road block to clear (I live in Wisconsin and road-construction projects seem to average three years.) Similarly, many people starve their dreams or freeze on the path to achievement, versus rethinking their approach and moving ahead.

I have always loved solving puzzles-word searches, crosswords, logic problems, or the latest craze: Sudoku. Even more than puzzles, I love solving daily life challenges. “What if I tried this?” “What if I looked at it from this angle?” “What if I…” I incessantly evaluate, ask questions, and rethink my approach again and again until I maneuver past the block.

 Your Turn:

Think of a challenge you currently face. Incorporate the process of rethinking your approach by completing the following sentence at least ten different ways: “What if I….” If you have a hard time getting started, brainstorm with a friend. Come up with outlandish solutions-anything to get the creativity going. Let the list sit for a day. Then, highlight one approach and try it. Instead of idling when challenge comes, choose to view it as puzzle to be solved.

Today’s Affirmation: When faced with a challenge, I rethink my approach. I ask questions and implement answers.