How do you get from A to B? If you expect the journey to your goals to be a straight line, when things go differently it can feel frustrating and demotivating. However, if you change that expectation, and instead see your journey as a learning experience - where you will plan, do, reflect and adapt - you may begin to enjoy exploring the twists and turns and end up somewhere better.

If you feel like you are heading in the wrong direction or there is a challenge you can't get past, try the problem-solving technique called "reframing". Reframing is where you allow yourself to explore something from different angles to see if you can find new solutions. Give it a go by answering the following questions as best you can:

• What are all the good things about this new direction?
• How could this problem be seen as a benefit?

Reframing a problem can be tricky, as once we've decided something is a problem it's hard to let that go. If you are struggling try turning the problem into a question. For example, you could turn "I can't get past the interview stage because I get too nervous" into "How can I use the fact that I get nervous to my advantage?", Then answer this question with as many ideas as you can i.e. "I could mention my nerves in the interview, and then demonstrate how through being prepared and motivated I overcome challenges".

Adam Ellison

The founder and course mentor at The Monday Morning Club