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Problem Fabrication

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The lyrical genius Robert Matthew Van Winkle once said, “If there was a problem, yo, I’ll solve it.”

A surge of dopamine accompanies the solving of a problem. You deserve it, having helped others with your diligence and hard work. Unfortunately, chasing the dopamine hit may lead to problem fabrication: fixing a problem that didn’t exist or recognition seeking after solving a problem that was self-created.

Non-Existent Problems

You don’t like how management schedules team meetings. You believe that all team members should have input in determining meeting dates and times. You make a big to do about the poll you created to find the perfect meeting time. Several days later, poll results vary, and a few individuals have not bothered to respond to your visually stunning questionnaire. Management should have picked a date and time, and moved on.

Why it’s Problematic (get it?)

  • The world, your job, and your family have enough problems. Focusing on non-existent issues means you’re not working on real problems (or enjoying life).
  • Drawing attention to trivial concerns decreases morale. Constantly pointing out imperfections brings everyone down. Life has potholes. You don’t need to pull over and patch every one.
  • You’ll turn into a Regina (read Just Say Okay). Even if you provide great input, no one will go to you with ideas because of your hyper focus on problems.

Self-Created Problems

If you accidentally start a fire in your backyard and then put it out, good. I’m glad you prevented a more serious situation, but don’t expect any praise. Everyone’s fallible. We learn best by making mistakes. But there’s no need to proclaim getting out of a pickle when you got yourself into said pickle (why do pickles have a negative connotation, they’re delicious).

Why it’s Problematic (do you get it now?)

  • Arrogance when solving a legitimate problem is a terrible look (I’m aware). Arrogance when solving a self-inflicted problem is a Björk’s swan dress at the 2001 Academy Awards terrible look.
  • If someone didn’t know you created the problem that you solved, they might acknowledge your remediation skills, thus encouraging you to create more problems.
  • It trains people to make better decisions (to combat poor ones), be helpful (when we were hurtful), or solve problems (that we created) only when there’s extrinsic rewards. We should make make better decisions, be helpful, and problem solve, because that’s how we become better people.

The world will always have a place for problem solvers. Commander Denniston (Charles Dance) overlooked the social awkwardness of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) in The Imitation Game, because Turing could help solve “the most difficult problem in the world.” But you have to know the difference between solving a real problem (decrypting Enigma) versus one of your own creation or own doing.

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