Monday, January 10, 2011

My subconscious is smarter than me. Help!

Have you ever been in this situation where you're trying to solve a problem: You know it's tough. You're really not sure how to crack the code. It's not the same as situations where you know the answer is right there on the tip of your brain (like words on the tip of your tongue, no?). Those are different. This is when you think there's really nothing for you to do or say, and the deadline's looming closer than ever. And magically, suddenly, your subconscious takes charge and swoops in on the solution. Suddenly it's all crystal clear and what could have turned into a panic attack has suddenly become a zen like solution through a seemingly unsolvable problem.

This happens to me way too often. Especially over the last few years that I've been with P&G. (Sometimes I wonder if it's my 1st boss who did this to me. Made me smarter without me realizing it.) It didn't occur to me until I was in my 2nd year, working away close to a deadline and just about to give up when the answer came to me almost as if on a platter.

It shocked me, the magic of it all. Thereon I started to panic a little less each time I encountered a problem and a deadline together. I kept my calm and stayed patiently on the problem. And my subconscious has never deserted me. Through problematic business situations and people situations, somehow, it always comes to my rescue when I've given up at a conscious level.

Does this happen to anyone else?