I've noticed something about myself. I'm good at solving other people's problems, but when it comes to my own? Not so much.
My mind is always racing. I see all the possible pitfalls and try to plan for each one. I come up with loads of ideas. Before I know it, my head is a jumble of thoughts.
Then I get stuck. I can't figure out what to do next.
But when I talk to a friend, it's different.
They listen as I spill out my messy thoughts.
They help me make sense of it all.
Then they give me advice.
It's usually clear and simple.
And sometimes I take it.
And sometimes I bounce off it and come up with something better.
Here's the funny part: often, it's stuff I already know, something I came up with myself, but never acted on.
But it sounds so much better coming from someone else.
So I listen. And act.
Nowadays, when I'm stuck, I try to talk it out with a friend. But these days I dont always have a friend at hand, so I talk to my dog Georgie. Or I chat with chatGPT.
A while ago I uploaded my book, CorkScrew Solutions, into chatGPT, which it read and it now walks me through my own process. The book promises to teach you how to solve impossible problems and when it's used with chatGPT, it's disturbingly helpful.
Though not nearly as good as a friend.
Anyway, I've learned that sometimes, the smartest thing I can do is ask for help, and even though you didn't ask me for advice today ... that was mine: phone a friend, ask for help.