That is the all too common fault of seeing only what we want to see, hearing only what we want to hear, and ignoring everything else that does not conform to our view of how things should be. And, because it has been learned, it can be unlearned. In the past, and to an alarming degree in the present, public and private education tend to suppress the natural desire to be creative in one's approach to the solution of problems. In later life, such tendencies must be unlearned. Lack of self-confidence.
Some people defeat themselves by undermining their own self-confidence.
Among the possible reasons for this self-destructive attitude are past failures, pessimism, apprehension about mistakes, fear of ridicule by superiors, peers, and others, and timidity. The tendency to be overly self-critical, to fear failure, to dodge derision, to shrink from display must be overcome. The wise problem-solver is also aware of the dangers of perfectionism. He or she knows that it is impossible to bat 1,000. A positive attitude and willingness to take risks are requisites for efficient and effective problem solving.