“If you get into the habit of (looking back), you will acquire some knowledge well ordered and ready to use, and you will develop your ability of solving problems.” - George Polya
How to Solve It is a lovely little book about solving problems. The author, George Polya, encourages us to enjoy solving problems.
Solving problems is like riding a bike or playing the piano, says Polya. We learn through imitation and practice.
Polya lays out a four-step method to solve problems.
- Understand the problem (seems obvious, but too often we dive in without fully understanding what we’re trying to do).
- Devise a plan
- Carry out the plan
- Look back
Step #4, “Look Back,” has been resonating heavily with me. I keep busy and (hopefully) productive, but too often, I leap from one activity to the next, without repose.
It’s counterproductive to do activities without stopping, pausing and looking back.
“Looking back” is vital to my progress. After I work on a problem, I should take time to look back and examine -
- The method(s) I used
- How I approached the problem
- What I learned
- Other ways I could have reached the same conclusion
- Other potential conclusions
Looking back makes lessons stick.
Today I’ll pause after each activity and look back carefully before I step forward.
published .
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