Pause And Think

The scene went as below.

~~

Person P1 approached Yours Truly asking a question. Yours Truly registered the question and had a solution in mind. He told Person P2 can help us.

The question was in turn narrated to P2. P2 started the hunt for the answer. Like a cricketer entering the field ready to bat, P2 started warming up. 

A couple of moments later, the question finally registered and pop came one more question from P2, "How do we solve this one?"

In the meantime, Yours Truly had identified the steps to the solution. The new solution was better than the previously thought solution. And voila, a few minutes later, the question was indeed solved.

~~

What's the moral of the story?

Often, when a question is posed to us, we start hunting for a solution without even thinking about question. The immediate run for solution impacts our ability to find a beautiful solution.

Instead, the below approach could be useful.

1. Understand the question.

2. Understand the real theme behind the question. Separate the wheat from the chaff.

3. Think about the solution. This may need moments of pure, unadulterated thinking.

4. Take your time alone, if needed, to find the solution. This is usually helpful.

5. Try the solution. Don't be disheartened if it fails. There are second chances.

Pause and Think ! A pregnant pause is loaded with interesting possibilities.