How to Figure Out Your Best Solutions Your mind is like a powerful computer. It's job is to solve problems so you can enjoy a successful life. Unfortunately, certain problems can freeze or clog your computer. In a 1951 handbook, L. Ron Hubbard wrote a exercise to help you improve the performance of your mind. It takes several minutes and your full attention to work. But it is worth the effort! You might discover this exercise helps you solve your biggest, most difficult problems, by yourself, right now, on your own. The exercise includes 12 questions for which you will need to write down the answers. For example for the first question, write down your five biggest problems -- problems that you are not solving. You can write things like, "I am not making enough money to get ahead." "My marriage is about to fall apart." "I cannot lose weight." "I feel sad and upset by my best friend." "I have too much to do." "I can't sleep." "I'm drowning in debt." "I cannot escape from my horrible circumstances." "My bad habit is getting worse." "I cannot find enough good prospects to talk to me." "I can't stand where I live." "I cannot find a spouse." You then write down the answers to the second question, third question and so on. Because you are looking at your problems in a new light, new solutions pop into your mind. Your computer begins to operate as it should! Begin. "Problems do not solve for two reasons: The first is lack of data; the second is an earlier unsolved problem on the same subject." "This will become clearer to you when you have completed the following exercise." 1. "LIST FIVE PROBLEMS, WITH PEOPLE OR OBJECTS OR CIRCUMSTANCES, WHICH YOU ARE NOT SOLVING IN THE PRESENT." 2. "NOW LIST WHAT YOU WISH YOU KNEW ABOUT EACH ONE OF THE PROBLEMS ABOVE (THE MISSING DATA YOU WISH YOU HAD.)" 3. "NOW LIST HOW IMPORTANT YOU NOW FEEL THESE PROBLEMS ACTUALLY ARE OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE NOW SOLVED." 4. "IF ANY OF THE FIVE PROBLEMS REMAIN UNSOLVED, LIST WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO TO SOLVE THEM." "Now let us take a glance at the past. There are several problems, undoubtedly, which you feel you did not solve. 5. "LIST FIVE PROBLEMS, WITH PEOPLE OR OBJECTS OR CIRCUMSTANCES, WHICH YOU FEEL YOU DID NOT SOLVE IN THE PAST." 6. "NOW LIST WHAT YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN ABOUT EACH ONE OF THE PROBLEMS ABOVE." 7. "NOW LIST HOW IMPORTANT THESE PROBLEMS ACTUALLY ARE TO YOUR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES." 8. "IF ANY OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS STILL BOTHER YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE TO DO OR TO KNOW IN ORDER TO RESOLVE THEM?" "Let us now take a look at the problems of the future. 9. "LIST FIVE PROBLEMS, WITH PEOPLE OR OBJECTS OR CIRCUMSTANCES, WHICH YOU THINK YOU WILL HAVE TO SOLVE IN THE FUTURE." 10. "NOW LIST WHAT YOU WILL HAVE TO DO NOW TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE." 11. "NOW LIST HOW VITAL THESE PROBLEMS MAY BECOME TO YOUR EXISTENCE." 12. "IF ANY OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS WORRY YOU, IT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT DECIDED UPON YOUR COURSE OF ACTION. TRY TO LIST YOUR COURSE AS IT WILL PROBABLY BE TAKEN." -- L. Ron Hubbard | 
