Problem Solving with Individuals: Small Wins and Small Loses

“We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them” 
― Albert Einstein

This week our lesson on problem solving with individuals was led by Sebastian and Brad! I thought they did a great job of highlighting the main points of the chapter and applying them in ways that will be practical to potential situations we will encounter next fall as peer mentors. 

We were asked to think about the differences between positive and negative goals and how we might apply those as peer mentors. It got me thinking about a workshop I attended earlier this week that focused on SMART goal setting (that was a breeze and the leader of the group was impressed that I knew all about it) and then small wins vs. small losses. That was a new concept, but one that I am readily embracing! I'll explain it so maybe you can utilize them as a peer mentor, too!

Here's how it works. 

Basically, a small win is like a mini-step within a SMART goal. Say you wake up tomorrow morning and you say to yourself, "I have to go to my Econ class today." Although this isn't a huge goal, completing it successfully will help contribute to a larger pattern of wins, a positive and achievable step toward the overarching goal, that is, for example, "I want to improve my Econ score by ten points on the next exam."

A small loss is the opposite.  Small losses are negative steps that deter from a larger goal. For example, "I'm not going to my Econ class today," is a small loss. This decision hurts the larger goal you are trying to achieve. On top of that, when small losses add up, they tend to make you feel very inadequate and unsuccessful. You may start to anticipate failure instead of success and become even less motivated to put effort into your work. 

Moral of the story is this, those small decisions you make each and every day contribute to how you reach your larger goals and how you feel about the direction of your life and work. Hopefully this will be helpful (or at least interesting) to some of you! I just find it to be an easy way to take steps toward your goals in a measurable way on a daily basis!

See you all in class!!