Problem-centered Counterfeit: Problem-focused

Problem-centered is unchanged from Maslow’s phrasing. He suggests that the problem-centered individuals believe that life demands solutions. I add that, as a problem-centered individual, you explore inconsistencies in your life and seek new knowledge with which to understand those inconsistencies.

The counterfeit is problem-focused. If you are problem-focused, you have a keen awareness of failures and shortfalls without the necessary solutions. You do not bother to seek new knowledge. You operate as if the recognition of the shortfall is the solution—a victory within itself. Being the person who predicts failure is not a productive team position. We know that failure looms. How do we, as a group, make failure less likely and success more likely?

Problem-focused, you seek to advance the false duality of perfection or imperfection. But, perfection can neither be achieved in isolation nor achieved once and for all. Perfection is a collective process. In human systems, it is incremental and multi-faceted. That means, our perfection will be the outcome of multiple solutions maintained over time. This also means that failure in one solution does not mean ultimate failure. We learn. We apply that learning to the next proposed solution. “Perfection is a myth,” you say. It is only a myth to those who fail to realize that anything worth achieving must be collectively nurtured, shared, and maintained.

Problem-centered, you address each problem as it reveals itself. You are proactive in your approach to challenges that wait on the horizon. Perfection is not a destination or an end result. You recognize that perfection is a commitment to solutions and collective activity, each of us combining our strengths to address the next challenge.