The Difference Between a Symptom and a Problem

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It is said that through problems we learn, and through it we progress but have we ever noticed what course of action we take each time we face a problem and does we really solved the root problem or just it's symptom?

Let me define each first.

Symptom is a quantifiable effect or event experienced by the recipient ( us ) that may indicate the existence of problems. It is an indication that something did not work out quite as expected. On the other hand...

Problem is a deviation from expectation or specification ,any unwanted effect where the cause is unknown. So basically it is the root cause.

Symptom is the effect while problem is the failure cause. Here I have a simple comparison.

Symptom                             Problem

Rust                  -              Water seepage
No Power          -      Wire disconnected Intermittent Operation  -  Bad contact
                                                  Point
Symptom is what is experienced by the recipient but not the problem.

Same goes with life, you think you have already solved the problem but later you know it was only just the symptom and not the main problem itself. Being able to distinguish symptom from problem is a very important analysis skill.

You must always find the root cause for it not to repeatedly occur. But still don't think too much of a problem if you think you have no way out then maybe there really is no problem because in every problem there is always a solution.