"When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it; this is knowledge." Analects of Confucius

How do you become the person you were meant to be? How do you better your situation? How do you snag that promotion, when promotions are in short supply?

Simple!

You have to separate yourself from the rest.

One way to separate yourself is to expand your body of knowledge, know more than the next person. Knowledge isn’t power, contrary to what many may say or think, it’s what you do with the knowledge that gives you power.

And, being good at one thing is no longer enough, you have to be good at many things. The more you work on expanding your knowledge base, the better your ability to problem solve and make better decisions because you have more data to access.

And when you work hard at becoming more knowledgeable, suddenly you start to feel lucky because opportunity after opportunity presents itself. But, opportunities are everywhere if you just take the time to look. Slow down, and breathe in what’s around you, take time to reflect on everything and you will be amazed at what you see and feel.

The following three websites where knowledge rules are just waiting for you to discover and explore them.

Ted.org
How Stuff Works
Infed.org

Take a visit, open your mind and expect to be fed. For starters, you could listen to Jill Bolte Taylor talk about her Stroke of Insight, learn how your brain impacts your chances for survival in the wilderness, or read about Greek scientist and philosopher Aristotle. The possibilities are endless and invisible mentors are all around you. Let us know what gems you have discovered. How can you apply what you have learned to your life? 

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Photo credit: Avil Beckford

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On a scale of one to 10, how do you rate yourself when it comes to problem solving? People who excel at problem solving have the distinct ability to:

•  Observe
• Listen and hear
• Get along with others
• Secure reliable information
• Look at what’s been done before
• Pay attention to detail
• Take a break
• Reflect on options
• Trust their instincts
• Adapt
• Take decisive actions

How many of the above traits do you have? Even if you consider yourself to be a great problem solver, there is always room for improvement. So let’s practice our problem solving skills! Describe a challenge or problem that you’re having. Writing down the problem makes it more concrete for you. Make sure that your problem statement is not too broadly or narrowly defined.

Look closely at the photographs above, how does each of the photographs connect to your problem? What elements do they have in common? For example, in what way does the problem expand beyond prescribed boundaries? What elements of the problem is blurred, or simply an illusion? How will a solution to the problem free you like a swan and ducks in a pond at High Park?

Now that you are seeing your challenge or problem in a new light, how can you creatively solve it? What tools do you need? Do you have access to those tools, and if not, where can you find them? Do you have tools in your tool kit that would help us expand the collective intelligence?

For other creative problem solving techniques How Stuff Works delivers!

Related Resources

Inspirer, Reflector, Innovator or Influencer, Which One Are You?

What Type of Problem Solver Are You?

The Importance of Problem-Solving by Ken Watanabe

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Adventures In Creative Thinking (tokitover.com)
4 Pocket-Sized Tools to Help You Generate Killer Ideas Any Time, Anywhere (lifehack.org)

Photo Credits: Avil Beckford

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