You may be familiar with the infamous tribble from Star Trek. Tribbles are cute little critters, kinda like bunnies without brains or legs. They basically sit, and purr, and convince humanoids to feed them so they can make babies. In other words, they are very cute pests, but everyone loves them so they don’t see them as pests. Even Spock couldn’t resist a tribble.
Well, almost everyone. It turns out Klingons have something like an allergy to them. That helped them see tribbles for what they really were: OBNOXIOUS PESTS THAT MUST BE STOPPED.
Despite Odo’s glorious shade at the end of that clip…I’m still with Worf. But I didn’t bring you here to talk about cute fictional pests. Rather, I’m here for the analogue. Tribble-shooting is killing a problem before it can make other little problems just like itself. It’s not getting rid of the big bad guy–That Which Shall Not Be Named–it’s about getting rid of a minor, but persistent, irritant or trouble. What is the little thing that is causing a disproportionate mess? Or, if you prefer more irenic imagery, it’s like weeding. Get rid of useless stuff that is inhibiting the growth of other beautiful, enjoyable, or useful plants.
Metaphorically speaking, you’re Worf. What’s the tribble in your life? If you find it, shoot it. Pew, pew, pew!
Sometimes it can be tempting to ignore the little things that drive us nuts. Or, classify something as a “first-world problem” and just let it sit there. While it is helpful to get perspective on what’s major and what’s minor, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to let a minor issue slow you down or cause you to miss out on enjoying something every day that right now you are merely tolerating or perhaps enduring every day.
Personal Example: Hair Tribbles
Now, I have super curly hair and I’ve always enjoyed my curls. However, my curls don’t always enjoy me. I was really sick of my daily battle with my tangly hair. I was annoyed with it being uneven. I was annoyed with knowing there was this dumb little part in the back that was never actually right. And that if I looked at it the wrong way, it would just explode into an uneven puff-ball…not…unlike…oh-no…a…tribble. Egads, I’m doomed. They really are everywhere.
Anyway, on a whim I did something I wasn’t in a habit of doing: I watched hair videos on YouTube until I figured out a solution.
At first, I traipsed idly through YouTube, but pretty soon I wandered across a YouTuber (Biana Renee) who had made dozens of videos about how to take care of curly hair, and all-importantly, the DevaCut. Little did I know, but lots of curly-haired folks have problems finding stylists who can handle curly hair. As the result of many bad experiences, I had given up on getting anything other than a trim years ago. However, after watching her videos and finding out that the nearby Ulta had a curly-hair specialist, I decided to go for a more daring and expensive cut for the first time in AGES.
Before scissors. 
After scissors.
I was super pleased with the results, but for a lot of reasons that photos can’t reveal. My hair is now very easy to deal with. It doesn’t get tangled; I don’t have to brush it; I don’t have to worry about it being hard to manage in the morning before work. But biggest of all, it changed an everyday thing from being a nuisance to a joy. And that’s what I think is key. It’s not hair or how I look per se, it’s the fact that I have recovered something of myself that I now simply enjoy without effort.
Inertia can be a trap. Discounting your feelings about something that bothers you can also be a trap. Feelings of dislike and unrest are both warnings and invitations to do something differently. In my hair example, I made a smallish change that has had lasting results and is not difficult to maintain. Lucky me! Sometimes all it takes is a little ingenuity or creative-tribble-shooting to convert a nuisance into a joy. So, if you’re feeling grumpy or bored with your status quo or know you need a change, find your tribble and exterminate! Let me know how it goes below.