The problem and the story.

Sometimes there is a practical problem. Then there is everything I think about it. I want to see both clearly.

Illustrative example

A supplier misses an agreed deadline.

01
Event
The delivery is late.
02
My story
They do not respect me. Everything will go wrong.
03
Experience
The delay and my predictions feel like one problem.

An observation and an interpretation can become tangled together.

Name each part

Practical problem. The delivery is late. I can confirm a new date and adjust the plan.

My interpretation. I feel disrespected. I can ask what happened and examine that assumption.

Next step. Respond to the delay and check the story against the facts.

When I have a problem, I find it useful to ask what actually happened and what I am thinking about it. Those can become two problems.

There may be a deadline, a cost or a decision that needs attention. Then there are the predictions, imagined conversations and meanings I attach to it.

I can respond to the practical situation and question the story I am adding. My feelings are part of the experience too. The question is how well my interpretation tracks what is happening.

What happened? What have I added?

An illustrative example. Practical hardship and emotional distress can both need attention and support.

From my Journal: Beliefs are forecasts

Event

My story

Experience