A three step process to problem solving

Overview

It is inevitable something will go wrong when racing an ultra-endurance bikepacking race – or at any point in time in life – and if it doesn’t go wrong, you will likely win (which is why I often find winning boring, but that’s another story).

So how do you deal with problems? If you’re old James, you will rush in head first without thought but action, action, action. I am nothing but impulsive. It surprisingly took me a while to realise this flaw, and put in place steps and rules.

Solving problems does not start at the point of the problem, it starts before they’ve even happened, below is my simplified three step process to problems.

Working out how to deal with tyre troubles

One: Preparation

Perhaps the most effective way to solve a problem is to prevent it from happening, sounds obvious but often easily overlooked. It’s easy to ignore the fact that spending a little time preparing is better spent than perhaps doing a bit more training. To give an example, I will often use overbuilt wheels, at the Highland Trail 550 I used wheels to a specification that Enduro World Series racers would use; the result was that when I did break two spokes I did not need to do any on the point problem solving, I just got on with riding. The wheel remained true enough and strong enough for the remaining 300 km of the event.

The way I go about this preparation is I have a risk matrix for events, and on these I write potential problems, their risk of happening, degree of consequence and what I can do to mitigate them, but also what I would do when it goes wrong. This risk matrix is an ongoing work and I can use it to act before the event has happened, putting in place solutions like the wheels. Further, once I have mitigated a problem as far as possible, I will put in place a solution strategy, i.e what I would do in the field if said problem arose.

For example; a very rudimentary risk matrix.

Rudimentary example of risk matrix

Two: Act rather than react

As an impulsive person my biggest flaw is running head into a problem and trying to solve it without thought. While there are problems that this brute force method of solving is required for, even the most serious of problems could perhaps be solved faster with a moment of the process going to forethought. When under a mountain of pressure, the person that can remain cool, calm and collected in the face of a burning building or life and death, is that one that will make the best decisions. The person that runs straight into he building without thought will make mistakes.

This brings me to a mantra I have in the face of problems; Act rather than react. Whenever I am faced with a problem, I repeat this to myself. It reminds me to breath and think before taking action.

To react is to jump into a problem without thought and simply start doing, using your automatic brain. To act is to be open and aware of the situation currently unfolding and critically evaluate it before doing anything.

One example of acting rather than reacting is to consider the classic Friday night situation. Outside a pub and a stranger punches you in the face, at this point you can act or react. A reactor simply punches the person back without thought. But a person that acts takes a breath and is open and aware of the situation in front of them; They look around and considers the situations and works out what will happen if they punch the person back, what will happen if they walk away, what will happen if they run away. One if done with thought, the other without.

Highland Trail 550 2019: Dealing with my 30th puncture

Three: Learning Lessons

I am far from perfect and have made many mistakes, generally if it’s the first time I make a mistake I am able to forgive myself quite easily. However if I am making the mistake for the 5th time then I will be deeply unhappy – as there is no excuse. In the world of the internet, there are so many stories out there of people making mistakes – which offers you two opportunities. One, know that you are not alone in making mistakes and two, use other peoples mistakes to learn their lessons without having to actually make them. Point two is a part of preparation. One way I learn from mistakes is to do a post race analysis, where I digest and then analysis what happened. This same process can and should be done for anything - however most people like to avoid doing so as it can be painful!