“Never bring the problem solving stage into the decision making stage.”
— Robert H. Schuller
Simplified Meaning:
When you are trying to solve a problem, it is important to separate it from the time when you are making a decision. Imagine you have a flat tire on your car. First, you need to decide that you want to fix the tire. That is your decision-making stage. Once you've decided, then you can start thinking about how to fix it, which is the problem-solving stage. If you try to solve the problem while you're still deciding whether or not to fix it, things can get confusing. You might waste time thinking about whether you should get a new tire or patch up the old one before you have fully decided that you want to fix it in the first place. This makes everything more complicated and harder to handle. The same applies to many situations in life. First, make a clear decision about what you want to do. Once you have made that decision, then focus on finding the best way to achieve it. By keeping these two stages separate, you make things easier and clearer for yourself.