A Sage In Mechanic's Clothes

A Sage ... in Mechanic's Clothes

Many of my life's lessons have come from obscure sources, such as my incredible self-acceptance lesson from a pants salesman. But that's for a different EnCOURAGEment. This one's about a sage in mechanic's clothes who taught me how to solve life's problems.

When I was 16, I worked for the summer as a laborer at an automobile dealership. Each day I ate lunch with the car mechanics. I always sat next to a certain wise old mechanic with a wisdom that drew me to him, like steel to a magnet. One day, while eating a peanut butter sandwich, he taught me how he approached problems.

He said, "Most people make things more difficult than they are. Here's how I approach a car that's not working. First, I see if there's gas in the gas tank. If there is, I see if the battery cables are on and tight. If they are, I see if the battery is working. These three simple steps help me solve 30% of problems. Always solve problems at the simplest level possible."

His philosophy was simple yet profoundly sophisticated, like the Dalai Lama's. I have followed his sage advice for 39 years - solving problems by progressing from the simplest to the most complex possible solution. My work sometimes requires an intricate solution, but like the sage mechanic, I solve a great percentage of challenges with a simple solution. ... Which reminds me of my favorite saying from the '60s:

"You're either part of the solution
or you're part of the problem."
- Eldridge Cleaver

- TC North, Ph.D., Success Coach