This question isn’t meant as a threat or anxiety ratchet, but as a reflective prompt you can use to help shift and expand your perspective when exploring a problem and feeling stumped.
When we’re feeling the squeeze of problem-solving, it’s easy to get trapped in our own patterns, processes, narratives, beliefs, and biases.
One way to escape these traps is by channeling our imaginary replacement—this even works if you’re a freelancer, solopreneur, or founder. Imagining that we were spontaneously being replaced by the absolute best [insert your role here] can give us an opportunity to mentor ourselves and re-examine a problem with fresh eyes.
What might your replacement see that you’re not seeing? What questions would they ask to broaden and deepen their understanding? How might they frame the problem? What might they do differently from your current approach? Why aren’t you giving that a try?
