Hi everybody - I’m trying the short format again. If you really love it or really hate it, please let me know.
Think of an aspect of your problem that most people can only understand in simple, black-and-white terms, where you see shades of gray. For example, when it comes to the problem of homelessness, most people think of someone as either having a home or being homeless. But experts are aware that there are many degrees of housing insecurity — what’s a similar phenomenon in the world of your problem?
What are some of the consequences of people seeing this aspect of your problem in such stark terms?
What underlying attitudes and beliefs lead people to view the problem in black and white? Keep in mind that they may be beliefs that have little or nothing to do with your problem.
What new possibilities might be unlocked if more people could see the shades of gray in the problem like you do? Dream big.
Reflecting on all of this, what are some new ways you might get people to understand your problem in more subtle ways? Or if it just can’t be done, are there other ways to achieve the same results you just imagined?
That’s it! If you want to share any thoughts or feelings these questions evoked, just reply to this e-mail or comment below. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.