Are you someone who’s excited by a new challenge, no matter the situation?
Or are you the person people go to when they’re looking for a shoulder to cry on?
Well, if you’ve always wondered why, it might be that you’re a natural problem solver…
But you just never knew it!
Read on for some surprising signs you had it in you all along. And maybe you’ll find out how to make the most of this talent…
Let’s jump straight in!
1) You’re always planning ahead
A sure sign that someone’s a natural problem solver is that they’re always planning ahead!
What do I mean?
You love keeping to a schedule, and most likely carry a journal with you where you can log your daily activities and plans for the week!
Say you’re working as your own boss and need to keep track of your workload every week; while many will struggle to manage these timelines, you feel right at home!
You thrive when you’re in control like this, because you can decide when to work and when to chill out!
You’re also the person who’s rallying everyone together to help out and make things happen. It could be as simple as a night out or something more elaborate, like a party for a big group of friends…
Either way, you’re always keeping track: you know there’s nothing worse than a plan that falls through!
2) You enjoy multitasking
Because you’re someone who plans ahead, you also enjoy multitasking! That’s because you’re someone who’s naturally inclined to solve problems.
And fitting things into your schedule is a challenge you enjoy. You’re excited by productivity, and it makes you feel good about yourself…
While others prefer working on one thing at a time, you’re cool with seeing everything all at once.
In fact, as soon as you’ve got your schedule for the day, you’re already drawing up a timetable in your head.
You might also be a fan of spreadsheets…sounds familiar?
For you, it’s not a big deal to split your focus across many tasks…you may even find it motivates you and gets your gears running!
3) You consider yourself a perfectionist
I know, I know.
You may be thinking: Is being a perfectionist a good thing?
Indeed it is, if you’re someone who loves solving problems! That’s because you always do your best and make sure the solutions you come up with fulfill their purpose!
Now here’s when perfectionism doesn’t work: it’s when you take it too far and find it hard to let go, even when what you’ve got is good enough!
This isn’t a problem for you, though.
As a natural problem solver, you know that efficiency is important and will only use your perfectionism as far as it’s necessary…
Here’s an example:
You’re running on multiple deadlines and don’t want to compromise the quality of your work. At the same time, you know you’re good at what you do and that you can make it work!
And as I mentioned earlier, you LOVE planning ahead! This comes in handy for situations like this.
By drawing up a plan of how you want to spend your time, you get to let your perfectionist side out, but you also know when to move on to the next project!
That sounds like you, doesn’t it?
4) You like to challenge yourself
Speaking of being a perfectionist brings me to my next point…
As a natural problem solver, you’re always challenging yourself and enjoy learning new skills!
Say you’ve recently picked up a hobby, knowing you can develop it into a side gig.
Or perhaps, you’ve found a course online that’s related to your field of work, and plan to complete it in your free time…
That’s how you know you’re a natural problem solver: you’re always looking for ways to become the best version of yourself!
And you do this by constantly upgrading your skills.
After all, how can you become your best self if you shy away from new experiences?
5) You work well on your own
As I said, being a natural problem solver means you’re someone who fully embraces difficulty and sees it as an opportunity for growth!
Surprise, surprise.
You may also be someone who prefers to work alone!
That’s not to say you don’t work well with others: you just want to be in the zone when you’re concentrating on something important!
It helps you focus on the details and make sure you don’t forget anything that can affect the quality of your work…
That said, being able to work well on your own is an asset. You don’t need anyone to motivate you, or instruct you to get things moving!
6) You know how to set boundaries
Whether or not you consider yourself a natural problem solver, you’re someone who makes sure that no one ever gets in the way of your tasks!
How do you do this?
Well, by setting boundaries with other people! That way, they know not to disturb you when you’re focused on something, or they can expect to get in trouble!
Setting boundaries is an important skill to have, and you happen to do it well.
In many ways, it’s part of being a problem solver.
You detect problems before they arise so you can do your best work with full concentration!
7) You don’t get stressed easily
Now you may be thinking: it must be stressful being a natural problem solver!
But get this.
It’s quite the contrary! You may even say you know how to manage your emotions well…
If you’re someone who’s a natural problem solver, you tend to let things be and only worry about them when you need to.
Let me explain.
Even when you’ve got a lot on your plate, you know how to prioritize things.
That’s why you don’t get stressed easily: you focus on what’s important, because there’s always tomorrow!
8) You know how to slow down
Being someone who’s always taking initiative, you know just as well when to slow down.
This is important for someone whose mind is always running! And slowing down is necessary to get in touch with yourself, outside of chasing your goals!
That said, you know that pushing yourself too hard is never the answer…
Even though you are tempted to do it, of course!
A natural problem solver like yourself will always want to be working, just because it fulfils you. But you are also someone who knows how to strike a balance!
Here’s an example.
Perhaps you’ve set aside a day of the week to head to the spa or go for a walk in nature. You may also choose to decompress by taking a nap.
And you do this knowing you’ll be refreshed by the time you’ve got your fix, ready to head back to work again!
Conclusion
As a natural problem solver, you may as well admit you have the code to succeed in life!
And maybe you didn’t know you were capable of so much until today…
Know that people can see this trait in you, and that they are probably inspired by you to make a change in their lives!
