As we go through life we are faced with various personal problems. In general, there are two ways we can go about solving our personal problems:
Some examples of problems you can solve marginally. You have a bad diet, so you add good foods and remove bad foods from your diet over time. You don't exercise enough, so you ramp up your exercise activities on a weekly basis over a few months. You have a messy bedroom, so you clean it up a few items at a time over a two week period.
Some examples of problems you can solve discretely. You have a rotten tooth or a tumor in your body, you schedule a doctor to remove it. You want to move up the corporate ladder, so you relocate to a city across the country where the corporate HQ is for a promotion. You have a physically abusive spouse, so you leave your home and stay with your parents while you pursue legal options.
Some problems, like the messy bedroom, can be solved discretely or marginally. Other problems, like moving to take on a new job, can only be solved discretely.
When brainstorming solutions to your problems its important to identify if it can be accomplished on a marginal basis or discretely. Problems that can only be solved discretely are usually the scariest and hardest problems you will face in your life. These discrete solutions will often be labeled extreme, radical, harsh, or taking it too far by others. Some of the worst advice a person can receive is to try to solve a problem marginally that can only be solved through discrete means. These marginal solutions that will never work can result in physical or spiritual death or even worse fates.
On the other hand, you may be a person with a manic personality. In that case, you need to avoid turning your life upside down every time you are faced with a problem. Slowing down and thinking through possible marginal solutions would be of benefit to you.
Marginal solutions are great in that you can make immediate progress on the problem you are facing. You get a positive feedback loop going by partially solving your problems which leads to solving even more problems and feeling better. However, eventually, you are going to hit a discrete wall. This can lead to despair which can result in giving up on solving any of your problems altogether.