Have you ever cut the branches of a tree or seen someone do it in an attempt to kill it? Did it work? In our quest to solve our problems, we address symptoms-the side issues-rather than focus on the root causes.
I could remember taking paracetamol to deal with a headache. Did I test to find the root cause first? No. I just decided to deal with the headache so I can feel better. But unfortunately, the “better feeling” I sort for lasted for only a while. The ache returned after the pain killer did its best.
It was then I realized I needed to go and find out the root cause. I was at the laboratory the following morning and upon proper examination and testing, it was established I had malaria.
Imagine I didn’t seek after the root cause. What do you think would’ve happened? You guessed right. Among many other things, the problem wouldn’t be dealt with.
Dealing with symptoms not only makes problems persist, it helps them grow.
Farmers don’t cut weeds at the stem when they weed with the hoe. Do you know why? They don’t want to give the weed a second chance. And I guess you know how they do it: they thrust the blade of the hoe through the ground, get it under the root of the weed, and pull it out without mercy.
If you can take the root, you can deal with any problem.
Maybe you’ve achieved almost nothing yet. And you don’t feel you’re on the path to achieving much in the coming months. You realized almost any project attracts you, and any invitation pulls you in: you seem not to have the power to say “yes”, or “no”. Anything and anyone asks for your precious time and gets it.
You’re almost everywhere, doing almost everything, but making no progress.
In trying to change the entire story, you may want to work on your time management. Or try to discipline yourself, not to be attracted by just anything. Or you may want to learn how to say “yes” in some situations, and “no” in some other instances.
Those are excellent steps. But in this case, they fall short. They don’t deal with the problem. They treat the symptoms. Have you figured out what the key problem in this scenario is? I’ll help you.
The actual issue is, you haven’t set a goal(s) for the year. No vison, and therefore no mission. You lack a compass. And so any direction pulls you in. After you set a direction, then can you meaningfully discipline yourself and manage your time.
Think through the problems you have currently. What solution do you have in mind to apply to them? After two, five or ten years, is it likely the problems will resurface? If there’s no chance they will appear, fine. But if there’s a chance they will, then it’s likely your solutions are symptom-centered.
Do you remember the problems that keep knocking at your door even after applying several solutions? Have you settled down to check if your solutions are only dealing with the branches? Don’t you think it should disappear if you really took it by the root?
Let symptoms inform you, but don’t let your solutions be directed towards them. Always seek for the root cause of problems, and when you find them, solve them at that level.
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Your Life's Keys 
God bless you.
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Amen and amen. I’m very much grateful.
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