“Life is best understood backwards; but it must be lived forward.”
—Soren Kierkegaard
The above quote summarizes Israel’s brilliant point from part one.
It explicitly explains that the past contains valuable information that is important for the present and future. Also, that reflection can prevent the past from defining your future.
In this second part of the article I will explore the application of reflection in real life problems and how to reflect without falling into over thinking or depression in the process.
Application of Reflection in Real Life Problem.
“Merely Understanding a problem is already half the solution.”
Reflection goes beyond reflecting on your own past. It equally entails ruminating on a problem, asking the proper questions about it, interacting with the problem, asking more questions, gaining understanding, and finding answers to the questions.
As humans we solve lots of problems on daily basis, from simple to complex problems. Like figuring out how to get from point A to point B, how to reduce the temperature of a room, how to learn a new skill, or how to fix a non-responsive TV remote control.
Some problems are more complex than others. So, some require more attention, thinking and clarity. Reflection is at the center of effective and efficient problem-solving methods. To find the solution to a problem often requires that you first understand the problem. But to replicate the same solution for similar problems requires a deeper or proper understanding of the problem. And this understanding is found in reflection.
Reflection demystifies failure
I remember failing mathematics for the first time in college. Pained, I took this particular event personal! Unarguably, mathematics was my favorite subject and if I fail anything, it should not be mathematics. I felt good at mathematics right from high school and it wasn’t just high school mathematics alone. I had started studying first year college mathematics in my last year of high school and finished an engineering mathematics textbook in the year that followed, all in preparation for college and because I just enjoyed it too. So, failing it was devastating and surprising for me.
After seeing the result, in preparation for the re-sit I had to take a moment of reflection, asking myself questions like:
- Why did I fail this, what did I do wrongly?
- What similar mathematics exam or similar exams like this have I written and passed?
- How did I pass it?
- How is that exam different from this current one?
- What was really required of this exam?
- Was my state of mind best for the exam?
- What other variable sets both exams apart?
- What can I do differently knowing the difference between both exams?
Surprisingly, I had studied the content of this particular mathematics exam previously; in my preparation phase for the University and was part of what I already studied in high school. So, it was very startling and unimaginable (though now laughable) that I failed it. Therefore, by reflecting on what really happened and by answering the above questions and giving myself the most honest answer (I could at that time), I aced the re-sit few weeks later.
The answer to the question “how to use reflection to solve real life problem” is to ask questions. Ask a lot of questions. Then, be patient and honest in seeking the answers.
How to reflect without over thinking.
Watch and observe.
Here you are merely required to pay attention in order to recognize, notice and to know patterns. To see clearly. As objectively as possible to see what is happening. You are to watch and then ask questions.
“He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes, he who does not ask a question is a fool forever.”
– Chinese Proverb
Ask genuine questions.
Ask important questions (the right ones) without judging yourself. Note, judging your actions is different from judging yourself. Be honest with your questions. Do not avoid a question because you will be uncomfortable with the answer. Ask “why” “how” and “What “questions. The answers to your question(s) lead to the solution(s).
On asking the right questions;
“We fail more often because we solve the wrong problem than because we get the wrong solution to the right problem.”
― Russell Ackoff
Albert Einstein is claimed to have said this:
“If I were given an hour (60 minutes) in which to do a problem upon which my life depended, I would spend 40 minutes studying it (determining the proper questions to ask), 15 minutes reviewing it and 5 minutes solving it.”
Be honest and Find answers
Be as honest as possible with your answers as with your questions. The right answers to the right questions lead to the solution you seek.
Moderation
The effective power of reflection is in moderation and setting a goal. Set a reflection goal and ensure to remain within the limit of those goals. You should know what you want to reflect on and be clear on the goal of your reflection; so your thoughts will not sway away or start an infinite loop.
Wisdom is the product of experience and honest reflection.
–Naval
Reflection helps you to learn from past experiences and can greatly improve your understanding. This is best described by Gibbs’ reflective circle, a structured step by step way of learning from the past which he explained in six stages:
- Description of the experience
- Feelings and thoughts about the experience
- Evaluation of the experience, both good and bad
- Analysis to make sense of the situation
- Conclusion about what you learned and what you could have done differently
- Action plan for how you would deal with similar situations in the future, or general changes you might find appropriate.
Reflection can help you to spot themes, patterns and biases in your thought and process. Providing different viewpoints, that enables you to see from a first person and second person perspective which is often helpful. It helps you connect the dots. And to make more informed decisions.
If experiences are dots, then reflection is the line that connects them.
Evaluate your experiences without judging yourself. See the experiences for what they are, their impact without judging your person because of them. Ask for external feedback and help when needed.
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