{"id":130993,"date":"2024-09-26T09:21:16","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T13:21:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=130993"},"modified":"2024-09-30T10:23:50","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T14:23:50","slug":"small-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Problems Grow: How to Nip Them in the Bud"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Why don&#8217;t small problems stay small? Could resolving problems when they&#8217;re minor be the key to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/steps-to-achieve-your-goals\/\">achieving your goals<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tackling small issues can prevent larger challenges and boost your confidence. This approach is particularly effective during overwhelming times, helping you regain control and make progress. By integrating problem-solving into your daily routine, you can identify and address small problems before they escalate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read on to discover three practical exercises that will help you master the art of resolving small problems and pave the way for big life improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-resolving-small-problems\">Resolving Small Problems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve explored how to identify, prepare for, and initiate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/incremental-progress\/\">small actions<\/a>, let\u2019s move on to another strategy for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/implementing-change\/\">implementing change<\/a>: <strong>Resolve small problems.<\/strong> According to Maurer, tackling minor issues as they arise supports your efforts to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/implementing-change-in-an-organization-2\/\">implement change<\/a> in two key ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>First,<strong> it prevents small problems from escalating into larger, more daunting challenges<\/strong>\u2014for example, addressing minor accounting errors in your business can avert penalties during tax audits.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Second, with every minor issue you successfully handle, your confidence grows, and <strong>this prepares you to handle more significant challenges<\/strong>. For example, addressing a minor disagreement with a friend can boost your confidence to handle major disputes in the future.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: In addition to preventing issues from escalating and improving your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-problem-solving-skills\/\">problem-solving skills<\/a>, resolving minor issues can also make you happier. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-subtle-art-of-not-giving-a-f-ck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck<\/em><\/a><em>, <\/em>Mark Manson argues that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-subtle-art-of-not-giving-a-f-ck\/chapter-2#problems-are-good-for-you\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">solving problems is intrinsically satisfying and improves your life<\/a>. Instead of trying to live a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/stress-free-life\/\">life without problems<\/a>, Manson contends that you should focus on only solving <em>good <\/em>problems\u2014ones that have a clear solution and that will noticeably improve your life.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tackling minor issues is particularly effective when you\u2019re in the midst of a crisis and feel overwhelmed. Whether you\u2019re suffering from an illness, dealing with a loss of income, or going through a breakup, you often can\u2019t rectify the situation with a single, swift action. <strong>But, if you focus on resolving minor problems during the crisis, you\u2019ll gain a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/an-internal-locus-of-control\/\">sense of control<\/a> and start progressing slowly toward a solution.<\/strong> For example, if you&#8217;re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/getting-overwhelmed\/\">feeling overwhelmed<\/a> by debt, paying off your smallest bill will provide an immediate sense of accomplishment that may motivate you to tackle the next bill, and the next, until you clear all your debts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Stephen Covey (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People<\/em><\/a>) suggests a practical way to regain a sense of control when in the midst of a crisis: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people\/part-2#how-to\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Think about what steps you can <em>personally<\/em> take toward solving it<\/a>. Distinguishing between problems that are beyond your control (like rising interest rates) and issues you can improve or solve (like deciding which bill you\u2019ll pay off first) prevents unnecessary stress that contributes to feelings of powerlessness or overwhelm.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-integrate-problem-solving-into-your-routine\">Integrate Problem-Solving Into Your Routine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Maurer recommends three exercises for identifying and addressing minor issues in daily life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1) Reflect on past difficulties. <\/strong>This will help you detect and respond to current issues that might hint at future challenges<strong>. <\/strong>To reflect effectively, start by recalling a major challenge you faced. Then identify any small issues that forecasted the challenge and, based on those issues, consider any steps you could have taken to avert it. For example, if your business failed, one early warning sign might have been a slight increase in product returns. Adjusting your business strategy based on this feedback might have kept your business afloat.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: If you feel tempted to criticize yourself at any point during this step, remember that the goal isn\u2019t to berate yourself for failing to address certain issues, but to increase your awareness of current issues that you <em>can<\/em> solve. Annie Duke (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/thinking-in-bets\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Thinking in Bets<\/em><\/a>) suggests that you\u2019re more likely to fall into the trap of self-recrimination when you\u2019re under the influence of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/thinking-in-bets\/chapter-2#separating-process-from-outcomes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hindsight bias<\/a>. This occurs when you know the outcome of a decision, and you\u2019re prone to thinking it was obvious and that you should\u2019ve predicted it. Remember that at the time, the outcome <em>wasn\u2019t<\/em> clear. It\u2019s only with hindsight that the outcome became clear.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2) Identify minor mistakes: <\/strong>This will help you address your mistakes, which, in turn, will prevent larger problems from developing. To identify mistakes, think about a recent misstep you made. Consider whether this error indicates a broader problem or has the potential to become a larger issue if left unchecked. For example, perhaps you missed a work deadline, which might indicate bigger issues such as poor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-manage-time-efficiently\/\">time management skills<\/a> or procrastination habits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Use the \u201cFive Whys\u201d to Get to the Root of a Mistake<\/strong><br><br>In <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/principles-life-and-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Principles: Life and Work<\/em><\/a><em>, <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/who-is-ray-dalio\/\">Ray Dalio<\/a> suggests a way to assess whether a mistake indicates a deeper problem: Use the \u201cfive whys\u201d technique to identify its root cause. This process involves <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/principles-life-and-work\/part-3#ask-probing-questions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">progressively uncovering why each of the events that ultimately led to the mistake occurred<\/a>. To use this technique, ask yourself <em>why<\/em> you made the mistake. Then, ask yourself <em>why<\/em> your answer occurred, and repeat the process three more times.<br><br>For example, let\u2019s say your minor mistake was missing a work deadline. First, ask <em>why<\/em> you missed the deadline\u2014maybe it was because you underestimated the time needed for the project. Second, ask <em>why<\/em> you underestimated the time\u2014it might have been because you didn&#8217;t anticipate complications in the project. Third, ask <em>why<\/em> you didn&#8217;t anticipate the complications\u2014you might find it\u2019s because you didn\u2019t thoroughly assess the project requirements. Fourth, ask <em>why<\/em> you didn\u2019t assess the requirements\u2014it may be because you were overwhelmed with other tasks. Fifth, ask <em>why<\/em> you were overwhelmed\u2014you might conclude that it was because you didn&#8217;t update your supervisor about your current workload.<br><br>Ultimately, the root cause of your mistake was that you didn&#8217;t effectively communicate your workload to your supervisor, resulting in you taking on more work than you could handle.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3) Pay attention to warning signs: <\/strong>This will help you anticipate and prevent future challenges. To do this, think of a small annoyance or concern. Consider if it&#8217;s an early indicator of a larger problem that you might be able to avoid. For example, during a first date, your partner might continuously interrupt you, indicating a lack of respect. You may decide not to go on a second date to avoid more significant relationship issues down the line.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Chip and Dan Heath (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/decisive\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Decisive<\/em><\/a>) offer practical advice for assessing whether an irritation or concern is likely to cause future trouble: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/decisive\/1-page-summary#strategy-2-look-far-into-the-future\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Take the 10\/10\/10 test<\/a>. This involves asking yourself, \u201cIf I choose to put up with this, how will I feel about my decision 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years from now?\u201d If you determine that you\u2019ll feel positively at all three points in the future, then it\u2019s probably not an issue you need to worry about.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why don&#8217;t small problems stay small? Could resolving problems when they&#8217;re minor be the key to achieving your goals? Tackling small issues can prevent larger challenges and boost your confidence. This approach is particularly effective during overwhelming times, helping you regain control and make progress. By integrating problem-solving into your daily routine, you can identify and address small problems before they escalate. Read on to discover three practical exercises that will help you master the art of resolving small problems and pave the way for big life improvements.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":131007,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,9,43],"tags":[1599],"class_list":["post-130993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-management","category-psychology","category-self-improvement","tag-one-small-step-can-change-your-life","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Small Problems Grow: How to Nip Them in the Bud - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Solving small issues can prevent larger issues and boost your confidence. These practical exercises will help keep problems from escalating.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Small Problems Grow: How to Nip Them in the Bud\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Solving small issues can prevent larger issues and boost your confidence. These practical exercises will help keep problems from escalating.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-26T13:21:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-30T14:23:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/cabbage-turnips-problems-seeds.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1344\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Elizabeth Whitworth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Elizabeth Whitworth\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Elizabeth Whitworth\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2928cf6c11a69ced1491d6a5b74fb13\"},\"headline\":\"Small Problems Grow: How to Nip Them in the Bud\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-26T13:21:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-30T14:23:50+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/\"},\"wordCount\":1165,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/cabbage-turnips-problems-seeds.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"One Small Step Can Change Your Life\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Management\",\"Psychology\",\"Self-Improvement\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/\",\"name\":\"Small Problems Grow: How to Nip Them in the Bud - Shortform Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/cabbage-turnips-problems-seeds.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-26T13:21:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-30T14:23:50+00:00\",\"description\":\"Solving small issues can prevent larger issues and boost your confidence. These practical exercises will help keep problems from escalating.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/cabbage-turnips-problems-seeds.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/cabbage-turnips-problems-seeds.webp\",\"width\":1344,\"height\":768,\"caption\":\"A shelf in a nursery with seed packets labeled \\\"CABBAGE,\\\" \\\"TURNIPS,\\\" and \\\"PROBLEMS\\\" illustrates that small problems grow\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Small Problems Grow: How to Nip Them in the Bud\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"description\":\"The World&#039;s Best Book Summaries\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":74,\"caption\":\"Shortform Books\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2928cf6c11a69ced1491d6a5b74fb13\",\"name\":\"Elizabeth Whitworth\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1fff9d65a52ac4340660218e7b63ee5e365cf08e7aa7adff79a0142cd4b96f84?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1fff9d65a52ac4340660218e7b63ee5e365cf08e7aa7adff79a0142cd4b96f84?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Elizabeth Whitworth\"},\"description\":\"Elizabeth has a lifelong love of books. She devours nonfiction, especially in the areas of history, theology, and philosophy. A switch to audiobooks has kindled her enjoyment of well-narrated fiction, particularly Victorian and early 20th-century works. She appreciates idea-driven books\u2014and a classic murder mystery now and then. Elizabeth has a Substack and is writing a book about what the Bible says about death and hell.\",\"sameAs\":[\"rina@shortform.com\"],\"award\":[\"Contributions to joint task force efforts (FBI)\",\"Contributions to Special Operations Division (DOJ & DEA)\",\"Efforts to fight the war on drugs (NSA)\",\"Contributions to Operation Storm Front (US Customs Service)\"],\"knowsAbout\":[\"History\",\"Theology\",\"Government\"],\"jobTitle\":\"Senior SEO Writer\",\"worksFor\":\"Shortform\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/elizabeth\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Small Problems Grow: How to Nip Them in the Bud - Shortform Books","description":"Solving small issues can prevent larger issues and boost your confidence. These practical exercises will help keep problems from escalating.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Small Problems Grow: How to Nip Them in the Bud","og_description":"Solving small issues can prevent larger issues and boost your confidence. These practical exercises will help keep problems from escalating.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/","og_site_name":"Shortform Books","article_published_time":"2024-09-26T13:21:16+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-09-30T14:23:50+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1344,"height":768,"url":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/cabbage-turnips-problems-seeds.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Elizabeth Whitworth","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Elizabeth Whitworth","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/"},"author":{"name":"Elizabeth Whitworth","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2928cf6c11a69ced1491d6a5b74fb13"},"headline":"Small Problems Grow: How to Nip Them in the Bud","datePublished":"2024-09-26T13:21:16+00:00","dateModified":"2024-09-30T14:23:50+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/"},"wordCount":1165,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/cabbage-turnips-problems-seeds.webp","keywords":["One Small Step Can Change Your Life"],"articleSection":["Management","Psychology","Self-Improvement"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/","name":"Small Problems Grow: How to Nip Them in the Bud - Shortform Books","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/cabbage-turnips-problems-seeds.webp","datePublished":"2024-09-26T13:21:16+00:00","dateModified":"2024-09-30T14:23:50+00:00","description":"Solving small issues can prevent larger issues and boost your confidence. These practical exercises will help keep problems from escalating.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/cabbage-turnips-problems-seeds.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/cabbage-turnips-problems-seeds.webp","width":1344,"height":768,"caption":"A shelf in a nursery with seed packets labeled \"CABBAGE,\" \"TURNIPS,\" and \"PROBLEMS\" illustrates that small problems grow"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/small-problems\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Small Problems Grow: How to Nip Them in the Bud"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","name":"Shortform Books","description":"The World&#039;s Best Book Summaries","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Shortform Books","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","width":500,"height":74,"caption":"Shortform Books"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2928cf6c11a69ced1491d6a5b74fb13","name":"Elizabeth Whitworth","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1fff9d65a52ac4340660218e7b63ee5e365cf08e7aa7adff79a0142cd4b96f84?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1fff9d65a52ac4340660218e7b63ee5e365cf08e7aa7adff79a0142cd4b96f84?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Elizabeth Whitworth"},"description":"Elizabeth has a lifelong love of books. She devours nonfiction, especially in the areas of history, theology, and philosophy. A switch to audiobooks has kindled her enjoyment of well-narrated fiction, particularly Victorian and early 20th-century works. She appreciates idea-driven books\u2014and a classic murder mystery now and then. Elizabeth has a Substack and is writing a book about what the Bible says about death and hell.","sameAs":["rina@shortform.com"],"award":["Contributions to joint task force efforts (FBI)","Contributions to Special Operations Division (DOJ & DEA)","Efforts to fight the war on drugs (NSA)","Contributions to Operation Storm Front (US Customs Service)"],"knowsAbout":["History","Theology","Government"],"jobTitle":"Senior SEO Writer","worksFor":"Shortform","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/elizabeth\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/cabbage-turnips-problems-seeds.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130993"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130993\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":131008,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130993\/revisions\/131008"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}