“Problems are a sign of unrealized potential . . . If you want more out of life than most people, you’re going to have more problems. It’s going to cost you more.”
—Joe Gauld, founder of Hyde School
It’s often easy to be overwhelmed by our problems. We sometimes think it’s unfair and wish that life was easier. But this doesn’t solve anything. People who have accomplished great things are not people without problems, they’re people who did so in spite of their problems. And so must we.
I keep a list of problems I’m facing in a workbook I call my “Clarity Journal.” Sometimes, just redefining a problem illuminates part or all of its solution. By positively defining problems and by consistently focusing and brainstorming on their solution, one by one, they fall away.
Notice that I said focusing on the solutions. We all know people who concentrate too much on their problems. But they dwell on the dilemma without focusing on the solution. They are victims of their problems instead of masters of their fate.
If you want to become invaluable in your job or your profession, then become an outstanding problem solver. Any employer, any client wants help in solving their problems. The better you are at helping them do this, the more valuable you become.
Businesses exist to solve problems. If an organization doesn’t fill a need (interpreted as solve problems) it has no reason to be. The most valuable people (market value) in any organization are people who can get things done. In order to get things done effectively, you must be a good problem-solver. The down-sized, right-sized, out-sourced world in which we live demands men and women who can clearly define, overcome, solve and eliminate problems.
Your attitude toward solving problems is critical. If you approach problems as something to be endured—something that holds you back—you’ll never rise to the level of mastery. On the other hand, if you see problems as opportunities (which they usually are) then you will grow and excel—and so will your company.
Ask not to be delivered from your problems, ask rather for the strength and courage to overcome them. They are meant to teach, they are meant to serve you and they are meant to be solved. You can do it.
You would not be confronting the challenges you face without the wherewithal to overcome them. You can accomplish more because you can be more. Your challenges are opportunities to discover more of who you already are.
To paraphrase Winston Churchill, Let this be your finest hour. It is these times of trial that you will remember as you look back on the greatest times of your life.
You will never solve all your problems. They’ll just be different. And you’ll be different as a result of the changes you will have to make to overcome them.
Best Life Truth: The Problem is Rarely the Problem—the problem is usually one’s attitude toward the problem.
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We can all agree that a regular physical checkup is a smart thing to do. But when was the last time you had a checkup on how your best life is doing?
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