p.9,12 Everyone is faced with daily problems of various magnitudes, and
they can rob us of time and energy - even drain us emotionally. Most people spend so much time thinking and worrying about
problems, there's little energy left to deal with them. Speed Reasoning to the rescue. Speed Reasoning, as taught in this
book, has you dealing instantly with important problems and getting them quickly out of the way. And this can work wonders
in your life. People who practice Speed Reasoning gain reputations as decision makers. They're able to analyze a situation
or problem almost at a glance, and quickly come up with the right decisions and solutions... Speed Reasoning is one of the
most dynamic elements of success.
p.15 But the fact is that learning something new requires making mistakes. Bloopers give you valuable
feedback... So how did I deal with the Blooper Phobia of my executives? I took them aside and told them they were
expected to make mistakes with the computer; in fact I wanted them to.
p.21 It's far easier to remember where to get information when you need it than to memorize the information
itself.
p.76 what you may not realize, is that if you go about trying to
solve tough problems using conventional methods, the odds are stacked against you. There are two barriers standing
in your way:
- Misinformation
- Incorrect focus
p.77,80 When people say something is impossible, they are basing their assumption on whatever information
they have at hand. Some or all of that information may be incorrect. The person who comes along with the right information
may easily accomplish what others have thought impossible. The ability to solve difficult or even "unsolvable" problems
by replacing misinformation with facts has been a big boost in the lives and careers of many people... Rule Number 1 in problem
solving is this:
Recheck the facts to (a) determine if the problem really does exist, and (b) provide a solid foundation
for solving it.
p.80,82 When a problem suddenly crops up, it's human nature to become so concerned with the problem itself
that you forget it was merely an obstacle in the path toward a goal. You start paying so much attention to the obstacle that
you lose sight of the goal it's preventing you from achieving. When successful problem solvers are faced with an obstacle,
they look beyond it to the goal they are seeking - and then examine various ways of achieving that goal. Often they
find that there really isn't much of a problem at all, because it can easily be bypassed...So here's rule number two in problem
solving:
Set your sights on the long-range goal and examine alternative ways of reaching it.
...The world's most successful people have found that the easiest way to solve a problem is to find
a means of getting around it.
p.90 If you learn nothing else from this book than the statement you are about to read, you will have gained
much: Nothing is so complicated that it can't be broken down into a series of simple, easy-to-understand and easy-to-accomplish
steps.
p.92 There are only five basic steps in creating a chart that guides you from problem to solution:
1. Write a sentence or two explaining the problem.
2. Identify the desired outcome as clearly as you can.
3. Write all possible solutions that occur to you, whether or not they appear to be reasonable at
the moment.
4. Study the possibilities you've listed and test them on paper. Take them from a logical first step right
through to conclusion, listing each step along the way. When a particular step would have unpredictable results, list alternate
actions to take next...
5. If the first set of steps leading from problem to solution does not please you, move on to one of the
other possible solutions you have listed.
p.119 Confidence, then, is the first requirement of ingenuity... the second is independence...
The independent thinker is not bound by the prescribed way of doing things. He isn't floored just because
the rules say something can't be done in a certain way... he knows there is a solution to every problem and an idea to meet
every need, and he's not afraid to consider unusual possibilities.
p.120 If you'll recognize the fact that there is a solution to every problem and an idea to meet every need,
and if you're willing to be an independent thinker who is unafraid to leave the beaten path occasionally, you'll come up with
ingenious solutions whenever you need them.
p.122 What is the one element that would, if it were available, eliminate the problem.
p.124 New ideas are never entirely original. They are combinations or adaptations of other ideas.
