Throughout our lives, we are presented with obstacles that prevent us from doing what we want or need to do. Often, we do not recognize or even notice them because they are small or seem insignificant.

To understand thinking processes in relation to obstacles that must be addressed and problem-solving we must remember that for the extraordinary individual this is done in the service of creating a personal highly functional reality.

To do this we must understand the way words, language, and patterns define who we are, what we experience, how we experience it, and how we behave with others.

Anyone seeking to remove or respond effectively to obstacles and the problems that come from them must have a system of steps and mental and or physical tools to help them to initiate and implement a project.

When dealing with any but the most basic obstacles it is wise to work collaboratively with a support team of skilled critical thinkers and if needed, experts.

The first way to apply the system is to gain agreement on the obstacle

· Gain agreement on the direction for a solution

· Gain agreement that the solution removes the obstacle or creates a bottleneck for dealing with it.

· Agree to overcome any potential negative ramifications (ripple effect) for removing or bottlenecking the obstacle.

· Agree to overcome any factors that might block implementation.

Theory of Obstacles experts sometimes refers to these in the negative as working through layers of resistance to a change.

As the great Taoist mystic Lao Tzu teaches, if small obstacles are not addressed early they may expand rapidly and become great. Like a small insect landing on a pond, the problem ripples outward and expands, creating greater complications.

Some obstacles are basic. An example would be changing a light bulb. Other obstacles are much more complex — losing your job while dealing the illness of a loved one, just when a flood washes away your home for example.

Obstacles of greater complexity may have multiple premises that need to be addressed.

· It is not enough to understand that the rate of goal achievement and peak performance in a goal-oriented system is limited by at least one obstacle. It is also important to understand that any process will unfold in an organic and natural manner, limited only by the laws of physics if there is nothing preventing the system from achieving higher EEPPASA (effectiveness, efficiency, precision, productivity, accuracy, and self-awareness).

· Without some obstacle, the system’s potential would be infinite — which is impossible in a real-life system. To learn more about this idea you may wish to research the Theory of Incompleteness of Kurt Godel.

Only by increasing EEPPASA by going over, under, around, or through an obstacle can overall EEPPASA be increased.

Assuming the goal of a system has been articulated and its measurements defined, the steps are:

· Identify the system’s obstacle(s).

· Decide how to overcome or at least exploit the system’s obstacle(s).

· Subordinate everything else to the above decision(s).

· Alleviate the system’s obstacle(s) if this is possible.

If in the previous steps an obstacle has been broken, go back to step 1, using a pattern language model to create new approaches to isolating and addressing the obstacle.

Warning: When applying step 5, but do not allow inertia to cause a new system obstacle.

The five focusing steps aim to ensure ongoing improvement efforts are centered on the obstacle(s). In the TOO literature, this is referred to as the process of ongoing improvement (POOGI).

Once you become a skilled critical thinker, you can then apply what you know to prosper in many ways. Below, Tim Deming describes 13 ways to change your life.

Author: Lewis Harrison is a corporate consultant on creativity and innovation. An Independent Scholar and a Results-Oriented Success Coach, He has a passion for knowledge, personal development, self-improvement, creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. You can read all of his Medium stories at Lewis.coaches@medium.com.

For a decade, Lewis was the host of a humor-based Q & A talk show on NPR (National Public Radio). Here is an excerpt from his show.

“I am always exploring trends, areas of interest, and solutions to build new stories upon. Again, if you have any ideas you would like me to write about, just email me at LewisCoaches@gmail.com” or check out my courses and website at www.asklewisgametheory.com

………….Lewis