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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>From: L. Michael Hall, <a href="mailto:Meta@acsol.net">Meta@acsol.net</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>2026 Neurons #13<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>March 23, 2026</span></font></b><font size=3><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-style:italic'>Problem Solving Expertise #13</span></font></i><font size=3><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=5 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-weight:bold'>THE SECRET<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=5 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-weight:bold'>TO EFFECTIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING</span></font></b><font size=3><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Many people think that the art of solving problems means being creative or intelligent or lucky. Actually and amazingly, it is none of these. So what is it? Experts in problem-solving are effective because <i><span style='font-style:italic'>they know how to ask critical questions. </span></i>They know how to cut through all of the noise and mess that comes with problems and which can distract and/or overwhelm us.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The secret of effective problem-solving is not being ingenious enough to invent some new solution. It is not even that! <i><span style='font-style:italic'>The secret is rather in the art of questioning. </span></i>For instance, with any and every problem, the first critical question should be, “Has anyone on Planet Earth ever had a problem like this before and, if so, did they solved it?” If so, you don’t need to create an entirely new solution. Isn’t that great? You just need to <i><span style='font-style:italic'>find out what has already proven effective. </span></i>After all, why spend the time, energy, and money to reinvent a solution which is already available?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The next critical question is this: <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Is the problem an internal problem or an external problem? </span></i> Asking this question distinguishes personal problems from impersonal problems. External problems are impersonal because they are functions of physics, gravity, chemistry, forces, mechanics, processes, tools, etc. Here <i><span style='font-style:italic'>know-how</span></i> and the right tools are key. Additional external factors also play into the solution: time, personnel, money, purpose, etc. Here also the bigger the external problem (which is a condition or situation in the world), it will require more people to solve it. That means the solution will be a collaborative effort of a group, organization, industry, government, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>If it is an internal problem (and therefore personal), it is a function of meaning—of ideas, concepts, beliefs, understandings, etc. And whereas the concept of <i><span style='font-style:italic'>causation</span></i> works perfectly well with external conditions and situations, the idea of ‘cause’ on the inside is entirely <i><span style='font-style:italic'>psychological. </span></i>It is about <i><span style='font-style:italic'>how </span></i>one is thinking, remembering, imagining, believing, etc. That requires an entirely different skill-set.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>An external problem, by definition, is something that is “thrown in your path” that blocks and interferes (Greek: <i><span style='font-style:italic'>pro-blemo</span></i>, to throw). It could be a faulty mechanism, the wrong timing, mis-coordination, lack of a key resource, lack of political will—all sorts of interferences. Solving the problem then focuses on addressing the blockage and resolving it. That’s why <i><span style='font-style:italic'>know-how </span></i>as good thinking is central to external problems. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>For internal problems, the thing that blocks and interferes is some kind of an <i><span style='font-style:italic'>inadequate thinking </span></i>—a belief, memory, rule, perception, way of thinking, etc. The block lies in the person’s mind. Perhaps the person doesn’t have the know-how, or a good strategy for being resilient, persistent, assertive, competent, etc. Perhaps the person has limiting beliefs which block him. Perhaps she has limiting decisions, understandings, etc. Solving personal problems focuses on changing the thinking that’s creating the problem. It means framing or reframing things in a different way to get a better perspective and attitude.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Now because internal problems are psychological, we can say that they are <i><span style='font-style:italic'>psycho-logical</span></i> (this follows what Korzybski introduced in <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Science and Sanity).</span></i> That is, ‘logical’ to the way the person’s mind (psyche) thinks about something. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Take criticism as an example. How do you think about someone criticizing you? In your thinking, do you personalize the criticism? Do you awfulize it? Do you think, “This will forever cast a dark shadow on my future?” Your thinking here describes your <i><span style='font-style:italic'>psycho-logics—</span></i>your internal way of constructing meaning, and as you so think, so you feel, perceive, and act. This describes how you internally ‘cause’ or create your psychological reality. It’s how you construct your problems.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>And, <i><span style='font-style:italic'>knowing this is the secret to managing it!</span></i> It’s with awareness of how you construct your meanings that you can stop one constructing process and begin constructing another. It’s in your power to do that. And the more you do this, the greater grows your capacity for creating your internal psycho-logics so they serve you well. Problems are created <i><span style='font-style:italic'>inside–out </span></i>and problems are solved <i><span style='font-style:italic'>inside–out.</span></i> That’s why in the problem-solving process, we do <i><span style='font-style:italic'>the meta probe</span></i> with ourselves and others. That is, we have to go inside the mind. That’s where the problem was generated in the first place, that is where it will finally be resolved.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Personal News & Schedule for 2026</span></font></b><font size=3><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>This year my focus is primarily on <i><span style='font-style:italic'>the Thinking Brand </span></i>of Neuro-Semantics. But I will be doing some of the other trainings.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-weight:bold'>April: </span></font></b><font face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>ACMC in Bali in April will be one of the last ones that I will do. If you’re thinking about <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>re-visiting,</span></b> this might be the time. Contact Mariani Ng for information --- <a href="mailto:mariani_ng@meta-mind.com">mariani_ng@meta-mind.com</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-weight:bold'>August </span></font></b><font face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>(August 14-16 and 18-20) I’ll be in Melbourne Australia for <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Thinking for Humans </span></i>and <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Resilience. </span></i>Both of these are especially important for Meta-Coaches since you coach your client’s <i><span style='font-style:italic'>way of thinking</span></i> and their inner ability to be <i><span style='font-style:italic'>unstoppable. </span></i>The greater your skill; the greater your impact.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>If you’re interested, contact Madeleine Robinson</span></font> at <a href="mailto:Mads@thecoachingroom.com.au">Mads@thecoachingroom.com.au</a> for the details. This will be the first time back to Australia in 6 years and would love to catch up to our Neuro-Semantic community there.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-weight:bold'>Mauritius: </span></font></b><font face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Mauritius in July (17-21) <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Five Minute Manager </span></i></span></font>and (23-25) <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Thinking for Humans.</span></i> Contact Joyce Clever <a href="mailto:thecleverwayinfo@gmail.com">thecleverwayinfo@gmail.com</a> for more information on this.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'></span></font><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>L. Michael Hall, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Executive Director, Neuro-Semantics<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>738 Beaver Lodge<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Grand Jct., CO. 81505 USA<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="http://www.neurosemantics.com/"><font color=black><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>www.neurosemantics.com</span></font></a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><img border=0 width=215 height=67 id=BF308BB8-DA03-4DF4-BEFC-A0A0DF648B05 src="cid:image002.jpg@01DCBA08.7F71C760" alt="cid:261CED33-4408-4124-862B-B9A4B37A367A"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p></div></body></html>