Ben Wilson

Or the solution I ended up on is I'll just work out with my kids either in the backyard or I throw them in a stroller and I push it up a hill and then do some pushups with them on my back. Okay.

Or the solution I ended up on is I'll just work out with my kids either in the backyard or I throw them in a stroller and I push it up a hill and then do some pushups with them on my back. Okay.

So just reframing a problem is I don't know how to X. It puts you in a high agency mindset because, oh, then I could learn to do X. So any problem that you have in your life that hasn't been defined in this way, try doing that. And all of a sudden it becomes a lot easier to find a solution because by reframing it that way, put the onus on yourself to learn and figure out the solution.

So just reframing a problem is I don't know how to X. It puts you in a high agency mindset because, oh, then I could learn to do X. So any problem that you have in your life that hasn't been defined in this way, try doing that. And all of a sudden it becomes a lot easier to find a solution because by reframing it that way, put the onus on yourself to learn and figure out the solution.

Now, of course, sometimes reframing isn't quite as simple. The question itself doesn't recommend an answer. This is true when you have these real big, hairy compounding problems, right? So, for example, think George Washington at the worst moment of the Revolutionary War. He hasn't had a victory in a while. The Americans are out of money. The troops are unhappy because they haven't been paid.

Now, of course, sometimes reframing isn't quite as simple. The question itself doesn't recommend an answer. This is true when you have these real big, hairy compounding problems, right? So, for example, think George Washington at the worst moment of the Revolutionary War. He hasn't had a victory in a while. The Americans are out of money. The troops are unhappy because they haven't been paid.

And it's this circular problem. The troops don't want to fight because they haven't been paid, but you're not winning victories, so you can't raise more money from other European powers. So if you reframe the problem with this one, it's I don't know how to pay my troops to fight for me so we can win battles so we can win this war.

And it's this circular problem. The troops don't want to fight because they haven't been paid, but you're not winning victories, so you can't raise more money from other European powers. So if you reframe the problem with this one, it's I don't know how to pay my troops to fight for me so we can win battles so we can win this war.

Maybe that reframe would help for George Washington, but even when you reframe it, the solution isn't immediately obvious. So these are the sorts of situations that are really difficult, right? You know, when I talked about reframing the problem, that's high agency 101. Okay, now we're onto 201. So the first thing you do is get really clear about the problem. Define it in excruciating detail.

Maybe that reframe would help for George Washington, but even when you reframe it, the solution isn't immediately obvious. So these are the sorts of situations that are really difficult, right? You know, when I talked about reframing the problem, that's high agency 101. Okay, now we're onto 201. So the first thing you do is get really clear about the problem. Define it in excruciating detail.

Steve Jobs comes back to Apple and he's got a similar thing. The workforce is demoralized. The market doesn't trust Apple anymore. They're hemorrhaging money so fast that in 1997, A Wired magazine has a magazine cover with the Apple logo on the front and it has one word, it says, pray. So again, you have tons of problems and they all compound on each other.

Steve Jobs comes back to Apple and he's got a similar thing. The workforce is demoralized. The market doesn't trust Apple anymore. They're hemorrhaging money so fast that in 1997, A Wired magazine has a magazine cover with the Apple logo on the front and it has one word, it says, pray. So again, you have tons of problems and they all compound on each other.

And even when you frame it that way, it's not necessarily going to give you a solution. This is a highly stressful situation. But Steve talks at length with his CFO and he wants to know exactly how much money do we have left? How much runway do we have and how fast are we losing money? Because when it's just we're hemorrhaging money, ah, what is the solution to that? It's vague.

And even when you frame it that way, it's not necessarily going to give you a solution. This is a highly stressful situation. But Steve talks at length with his CFO and he wants to know exactly how much money do we have left? How much runway do we have and how fast are we losing money? Because when it's just we're hemorrhaging money, ah, what is the solution to that? It's vague.

And so you can't have action oriented solutions to vague problems in the same way that if I tell you I'm depressed.

And so you can't have action oriented solutions to vague problems in the same way that if I tell you I'm depressed.

what's the solution there there is no if i start to define it of i am depressed because i'm not sleeping well and i'm not sleeping well because of x maybe a overly simplistic reason to be depressed but okay it's just an example right once you start to define it the solutions even if the solutions aren't clear then parts of the solution become clear right at least small action items that you can take to make the situation better start to become clear

what's the solution there there is no if i start to define it of i am depressed because i'm not sleeping well and i'm not sleeping well because of x maybe a overly simplistic reason to be depressed but okay it's just an example right once you start to define it the solutions even if the solutions aren't clear then parts of the solution become clear right at least small action items that you can take to make the situation better start to become clear

So you want to define the problem very exactly. And then at least action items start to appear and you become high agency. You start figuring out things to do, to be active instead of ruminating, worrying, stressing the things that you can do when you get in one of these kinds of death spiral situations.

So you want to define the problem very exactly. And then at least action items start to appear and you become high agency. You start figuring out things to do, to be active instead of ruminating, worrying, stressing the things that you can do when you get in one of these kinds of death spiral situations.