This is a great question to ask throughout the process of making change in your life, big or small.
It’s great to ask at the start when you encounter a problem. You’ve identified that something needs to change in your life, and you want to be sure you’re addressing the cause of the problem, and not the symptoms.
It’s great to ask while you’re taking action to address the problem. Sometimes we can lose sight of what we set out to achieve, and asking this question regularly can help each small step of the process build towards the best solution.
It’s especially great to ask when you’re taking action with other people. Your perspective of a problem may be very different to what others are seeing, and even if everyone is aligned it can be hard for the group to act in a desired way.
If you’re in the middle of making change in your life, take this moment to ask “What am I solving for?”. Are you on the right track?