I am iterating on the 12 Favorite Problems Technique. I am merging a first iteration and two drafts coming from my notes.

Process

I’m refining my approach, and I start to like it:

1. Start with a draft.
2. Refine, and iterate continuously. (iterative thinking)
3. Develop your view of each problem.
4. Find connections.
5. Organize problems hierarchically and by priority and scope.
6. Revise periodically.

My 12 Favorite Problems

This is version 2 of my 12 favorite problems:

1. how to be a good person
   1. How to live a good life. (purpose/meaning)
   2. How to make the best use of my time
   3. What is happiness? How to understand it and live with and without it.
   4. How to develop an interconnected system of habits to grow as a healthy, wealthy, and systemic human being, conscious citizens of the world, human being, member of humankind
   5. Develop self-awareness, self-expression
   6. How to stay healthy
   7. How to make my life meaningful, worthwhile
2. How to have good relationships
   1. How to take care of my family
      1. how to be a good partner
      2. how to be a good father
      3. how to be a good son
      4. how to be a good relative
   2. how to be a good friend
   3. how to be a good citizen of the World
   4. How to spend more quality time with quality people
3. How to be a good thinker
   1. how to be a good thinker
      1. observation
         1. recognizing patterns
         2. cross-discipline / non-disciplinary
      2. how to think about the future
   2. how to make the best decisions
   3. Learning
      1. how to be a good learner
4. Communication
   1. how to communicate in the best way
   2. Storytelling
      1. how to tell great stories
      2. how to create great stories
5. Justice, equality, equanimity
   1. What’s the right word?
   2. How to create a just society
6. Make the world better
   1. How to build a sustainable society
   2. How to make a living while making the world a better place.
   3. How to leave a positive, durable, compounding legacy
   4. How to put new things in the world to make it better rather than worse
   5. How to minimize unintended consequences
   6. How to create better futures
   7. How to improve the ecosystem’s health
7. Education
   1. How to educate sons.
   2. How to educate children.
   3. How to educate human beings.
   4. How to educate human beings for the best
   5. How to learn
      1. How to know more about what is unknown
   6. How to be a good facilitator, coach, trainer, educator
8. How to be a good designer
   1. How to understand, communicate, and manage complexity
   2. How to minimize unintended consequences
   3. Imagining alternative worlds
   4. How to create networks of networks of changemakers creating a positive impact on people and the planet
   5. How can I leave a legacy that will make me remembered in a positive way
9. How to imagine better futures
10. How to augment life
    1. How to raise the collective intelligence
    2. How to extend life, perception, augment intelligence, individual and collective.
    3. How to live multiple lives
11. How to minimize the suffering of all living beings
    1. How to relieve suffering
12. How to be more creative
    1. Teach everybody to be creative
    2. Make art a part of everybody’s life

Update: 12 Developed drafts