Learn how visualising the bigger picture — just like solving a puzzle — can help you break patterns, gain clarity, and approach life’s challenges with intention and awareness.
In the first part of this article https://crystalclearbyreka.blog/life-coaching/what-puzzles-can-teach-us/, we explored how changing perspective can help us move forward when we feel stuck — much like rotating a puzzle to see it from a new angle. But perspective alone is not always enough. To truly move through challenges with clarity, we also need to understand where we are going and why. Just as with puzzles, progress becomes easier when we hold the complete picture in mind.
Seeing the Big Picture: Why visualization matters when you feel stuck
In the first part of this article, we explored how changing perspective can help us move forward when we feel stuck — much like rotating a puzzle to see it from a new angle. But perspective alone is not always enough. To truly move through challenges with clarity, we also need to understand where we are going and why. Just as with puzzles, progress becomes easier when we hold the complete picture in mind.
Another essential element of assembling a puzzle efficiently is the ability to visualise the completed image.
It’s not enough to focus only on the small details — all the blue or yellow pieces scattered across the table — and assume that because they look similar, they must somehow fit together. You can solve a puzzle this way, but it usually takes far longer and feels unnecessarily frustrating.
When you start a puzzle, you already know what the final picture will look like. You keep that image in your mind — and often right in front of you — while working through each individual piece. You’re not just randomly trying combinations; you have a direction, a strategy, and an understanding of what you are working towards.
You may decide to start with the edges, group colours, or focus on one section at a time. The approach may differ, but the end result remains clear.
And this is exactly where the parallel to life becomes powerful.
Applying this to problem-solving in life
We often treat our problems as isolated incidents — something to fix quickly so we can move on. But much like a puzzle piece, a problem rarely exists on its own.
Instead of asking “How do I get rid of this problem?”, a more helpful question might be:
“What is this problem part of?”
Is it truly a minor issue that requires little involvement?
Or is it connected to a bigger pattern in your life — something that’s asking for your attention, learning, or growth?
When we fail to look at the bigger picture, we tend to fall into firefighting mode: reacting to situations only when they become uncomfortable or impossible to ignore. We apply quick fixes that “work for now,” then feel surprised when the same issue resurfaces — perhaps with different people, in a different setting, but carrying the same emotional charge.
The pattern hasn’t changed, because the root hasn’t been addressed.
The courage to step back — and go deeper
Pause for a moment and ask yourself:
- Why am I facing this challenge now?
- What happens if I avoid it or push it aside?
- What belief, behaviour, or habit might this situation be inviting me to examine?
Just like with a puzzle, once you understand the whole image, the individual pieces begin to make sense. Solutions become clearer when you know where you want to end up — not just what you want to escape from.
Your life, including its challenges, is an integrated whole. When you dare to engage with your problems on a deeper level, you move from reaction to intention.
There’s a reason you’ve probably heard the phrase:
“The way out is through.”
From my own experience, the problems I face are often indicators — gentle or not-so-gentle signals — that something fundamental needs to change. Sometimes it’s a behaviour. Other times, a belief I’ve been holding onto long after it stopped serving me.
If you’re feeling stuck right now, ask yourself:
What would change if I stopped focusing on the individual pieces — and started looking at the whole picture instead?
Sometimes, clarity doesn’t come from doing more.
It comes from seeing differently.
If you notice recurring patterns in your life — challenges that seem to repeat despite your best efforts — it may be time to step back and explore the bigger picture with support. Coaching offers a space to change perspective, uncover root causes, and consciously choose what you want to build next.
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