Final answer:
Problem-solving often requires considering non-direct approaches or realizing that our focused attention may cause us to miss obvious solutions. Reflection on past experiences and creative thinking, like sidestepping an issue or employing insight learning, can lead to the right answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reflecting on times you may have missed an obvious solution or your attention was focused elsewhere can be a great learning opportunity. For example, consider a situation where you're trying to solve a problem by directly confronting it but fail to see that a sidestepping approach might yield a better outcome. A prevalent example is when you're dealing with interpersonal conflicts at work. Instead of finding a direct resolution, sometimes changing your own behavior or communication style can improve the situation without needing to solve the underlying conflict.
An instance of missing something obvious could involve looking for your glasses while they're on your head. This happens because your focus was elsewhere, and once someone points it out, the realization can be quite surprising. It demonstrates how our attention can sometimes become tunnel-visioned, preventing us from seeing the larger picture.
If you're faced with a problem and traditional problem-solving methods aren't illuminating the issue, it can be helpful to think outside the box. Considering all possibilities and reflecting on past experiences, just like figuring out a new math problem or a game level using insight learning, can often provide the solution you need.