Solve Root Problems with 5 Simple Steps - Principles by Ray Dalio

Solve Root Problems with 5 Simple Steps - Principles by Ray Dalio

Something I just learnt further from Ray Dalio's awesome book #Principles is that you can't just focus on #problems or #issues without knowing what the #goal is first. His thoughts are like a modern day #Socrates.

Here is a simple 5 step plan he puts forth (Summarising it doesn't do it justice; pick the book up!)

1. Have clear goals - Don't confuse goals with desires, especially don't get distracted by first order desires.

2. Identify problems that get in the way of your goal. Don't get distracted by the small stuff. Don't back down from tough problems. AND once you identify the problem don't TOLERATE it, no matter how painful it is.

3. Diagnose problems to get at their root causes - figure out the true cause. Spend 15 mins to 1 hour identifying the real reason and not just the symptom.

4. Design a plan - Look at all the cogs in your work/life environment (or "machine" as Mr Dalio puts it). Figure out how to produce better outcomes towards your goal from a top down perspective.

5. Push through to Completion - Execute the plan, don't just let it fester. Set clear KPIs so that you can see if the plan is being followed.

I can see how that will apply to Zencode programming and development activities. Thanks Ray Dalio!