I knocked over my office reading lamp. I picked it up. Turned it on. No light. I assumed when it hit the floor something jarred loose. I tightened everything I could turn. Still no light. I checked the plug…it could have jiggled loose. Still no light.
It was then it occurred to me…maybe it was the lightbulb? I replaced it. Tada! Light came forth.
I was reminded again it is more often the obvious that will fix a problem. We need to start with the obvious before moving on to the complicated. The obvious is the simplest solution. It is when we miss the obvious we further mess up a situation.
When something is awry we need to ask ourselves some simple questions.
People don’t understand. Have you explained it clearly?
People think it is my fault. What part of it is your fault?
The car won’t start: What does the fuel gauge read?
I’m not happy with my fitness: What do you need to change in your activity level?
The faucet is dripping: How tight is the off value?
People are falling short of expectations: How have you communicated what is expected?
I always wake up tired: What time did you go to bed?
I never get the important things done: How have you identified the important?
Others control my calendar: When was the last time you said no?
When I was a teenager I was getting ready to take off and meet some friends for racquetball. I needed to get going, but was frantic about not having the ten-dollar bill I needed to pay for court time (it was many years ago, and ten dollars went a long way).
I was searching everywhere I could think of: My bedroom, the kitchen counter. I looked in every nook and cranny in the house. My search took me through the living room on several occasions. My dad was sitting in his chair watching my frantic search.
He calmly asked, “What are you doing?’
Perturbed (remember I was a teenager) I said, “I’m looking for my ten-dollar bill. I can’t seem to find it!”
He then said, “What’s that in your sock?”
I froze. Looked down. The bill was in my sock. My shorts had no pockets so I had put my ten in my sock so as not to forget it. That went well.
Checking the obvious first will provide the index for what needs to be done. What is the obvious you need to check?