"Never bring the problem solving stage into the decision making stage. Otherwise, you surrender yourself to the problem rather than the solution"

Facing difficult choices often means encountering complex problems that demand solutions. However, Robert H. Schuller’s insight urges a careful separation between deciding on a course of action and becoming overly entangled in the obstacles along the way. Mixing these stages, letting anxiety over potential problems dominate the process of making decisions, risks not acting from a place of clarity or vision, but instead reacting to fear, doubt, or obstacles themselves.

Effective decision-making relies on the ability to see the bigger picture. When focus shifts away from objectives and possibilities toward roadblocks and complications, opportunities can be missed or even dismissed. Indecision grows as the mind circles endlessly around what could go wrong. By letting problem-solving dominate before firmly choosing a direction, a person becomes a servant to circumstances, restricting their power to shape outcomes.

Schuller’s message advocates for separating the process into distinct stages. First, decide what you truly want to achieve. Clarify values, vision, goals, commit to your chosen outcome without letting every potential barrier cloud that process. Only after a decision is firmly in place should energy turn toward problem-solving, identifying practical steps and overcoming obstacles methodically, guided by the conviction of your initial choice.

This approach helps preserve motivation and creativity. With a clear decision driving action, challenges become puzzles to solve rather than insurmountable walls. It also empowers a leader or individual to maintain optimism, seeing themselves as proactive architects of their future rather than passive victims of circumstance. The mind remains solution-oriented and resourceful when anchored in decided purpose.

Ultimately, surrendering to problems at the decision moment strips away agency and hope. By guarding the integrity of decision-making, keeping the problem-solving stage distinct, one leans into leadership, resilience, and the transformative potential of the solution-focused mindset.