Do you feel frustrated because the same patterns keep recurring?
That’s because you’re attempting to solve a symptom not the problem.
When you do this, it’s analogous to putting a bandaid on the issue. Get it wet with the slightest bit of adversity & you’re back to square one.
When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves. Anthony J. D’Angelo
Difference Between Symptoms & Problems
Symptoms & problems are like chips & salsa. They go together but are completely different.
Symptoms are indicative a problem exists. It tends to be obvious & cannot be solved.
Problems are the root cause, what lies beneath, & need to be solved in order to eliminate the symptoms.
Think of an iceberg. On the surface, it can look ominous but is completely visible. Below the surface, the iceberg is not visible & can run quite deep. If you remove the tip of the iceberg, it will eventually grow back & resurface.
Are you feeling a bit confused? You’re not alone. Even some well-known professionals cannot differentiate between the two.
Grab some chips & salsa & keep reading!
Let’s Play a Game
Put the label Symptoms or Problems on the top of each column & win…Clarity
Perfectionist | Feeling Not Enough |
Attention Seeking | Feeling Unworthy |
Staying in Bad Relationship | Fear of the Unknown |
Not Fitting In | Feeling Different/ Lack of Belonging |
Inferiority & Self-Doubt | Feeling Not Enough |
Repeating Family Patterns | Feeling It's Not Available to You |
Did you figure it out?
Answer - The left column contains symptoms while the right contains problems.
Now that you know the difference, it should be easy to resolve right?
Somewhat but the problems aren’t always easy to discover.
The power is in the question. You can’t solve a problem until you ask the right question.
Be in Pursuit of the Root
If you want to drill down you need to do a root cause analysis.
Put on your toddler hat & ask WHY 5x.
Each question builds on the preceding one.
By the time you have responded to Why 5, you’ve addressed the issues & have discovered the root cause.
Example Using the 5 Whys - Staying In An Unhealthy Relationship
In this example, now that you’ve discovered the main problem is attachment issues, you can drill down even further. Explore the main types of attachment & identify the typical symptoms.
Congratulations…Now Take Action
Now that you have identified the root cause, the actual problem needs to be resolved through targeted action steps.
Are you ready to get to the root👇