It's not about the shark : how to solve unsolvable problems / David Niven, PhD.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 211-222) and index.

Introduction: Problem or godsend? --
Imaginary Philip and the problem of problems --
Humans, swamp people, and the survival problem --
Power and the farb problem --
Don't come home for Christmas and other lessons on trying harder and making it worse --
Would you get on the bus to Abilene? --
Four points and the wrongness of always being right --
Miss Iceland, the gangster, and the cat: What happens when you burn the first draft --
The knowledge is like a toothache: The value of taking the long way --
Dark, soft, smooth, and slow: The power of opposites --
What are these bells for? The art of listening to yourself --
Conclusion: What do you do with water?

"It's Not About the Shark opens the door to the groundbreaking science of solutions by turning problems--and how we solve them--upside down. When we have a problem, most of us zero in, take it apart, and focus until we have it solved. David Niven shows us that focusing on the problem is exactly the wrong way to find an answer. Putting problems at the center of our thoughts shuts down our creative abilities, depletes stamina, and feeds insecurities. It's Not About the Shark shows us how to transform our daily lives, our work lives, and our family lives with a simple, but rock-solid principle: If you start by thinking about your problems, you'll never make it to a solution. If you start by thinking about a solution, you'll never worry about your problems again. Through real-life examples and psychology research, David Niven shows us why: *Focusing on the problem first makes us 17 times less likely to find an answer *Being afraid of a problem is natural: we're biologically primed to be afraid *Finding a problem creates power - which keeps you from finding a solution *Working harder actually hides answers *Absolute confidence makes you less likely to find the answer *Looking away from a problem helps to see a solution *Listening only to yourself is one of the best ways to find an answer Combining hard facts, good sense, and a strong dose of encouragement, David Niven provides fresh and positive ways to think about problem solving. "-- Provided by publisher.

"It's Not About the Shark opens the door to the groundbreaking science of solutions by turning problems--and how we solve them--upside down. When we have a problem, most of us zero in, take it apart, and focus until we have it solved. David Niven shows us that focusing on the problem is exactly the wrong way to find an answer. Putting problems at the center of our thoughts shuts down our creative abilities, depletes stamina, and feeds insecurities. It's Not About the Shark shows us how to transform our daily lives, our work lives, and our family lives with a simple, but rock-solid principle: If you start by thinking about your problems, you'll never make it to a solution. If you start by thinking about a solution, you'll never worry about your problems again. Through real-life examples and psychology research, David Niven shows us why: *Focusing on the problem first makes us 17 times less likely to find an answer *Being afraid of a problem is natural: we're biologically primed to be afraid *Finding a problem creates power - which keeps you from finding a solution *Working harder actually hides answers *Absolute confidence makes you less likely to find the answer *Looking away from a problem helps to see a solution *Listening only to yourself is one of the best ways to find an answer Combining hard facts, good sense, and a strong dose of encouragement, David Niven provides fresh and positive ways to think about problem solving"-- Provided by publisher.