It doesn’t matter if you are a business owner or a leader in an organization, the truth is, you get paid to solve problems. If your customers or employees didn’t have them, then they simply wouldn’t need you.
That said, there are certainly different kinds of problems. There are the problems that come up, where you already have them solved. These are the ones that you have likely seen before and you already know what works to solve them. These are pretty easy and chances are you look amazing, when you simply have the answer, as if it were magic.
Then there are the problems, you don’t have the answer to. You know the ones that wake you up in the middle of the night and keep you distracted from your favorite television program because you can’t seem to stop thinking about them.
I know when I have one of these, because if you ask anyone around me, they will tell you I am one of those people who likes to “talk out” possible solutions and likely won’t let it go until I have, what I believe to be the best solution.
Sometimes problems can be a little overwhelming and sometimes we even complain about them, however they are part of what makes leaders, leaders. There are lots of people who avoid them and never make decisions, but when the going gets tough, leaders thrive on putting on their thinking caps and pushing forward.
Sometimes all you really need is a little perspective in a moment, so below I have included some of my favorite quotes to help you push through.
- Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines. – Robert H. Shuller
- Problems are nothing but wake-up calls for creativity. – Gerhard Gschwandtner
- It’s good to be able to laugh at yourself and the problems you face in life. Sense of humor can save you. – Margaret Cho
- A positive attitude may not solve your problems – but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. – Anonymous
- A problem is a chance for you to do your best. – Duke Ellington
- Inside of every problem lies an opportunity. – Robert Kiposaki
- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. – Albert Einstein
- Never bring the problem-solving stage into the decision-making stage. Otherwise, you surrender yourself to the problem rather than the solution. – Robert H. Schuller
- There is no problem outside of you that is superior to the power within you. – Bob Proctor
- Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems. Gever Tulley
- Inside of every problem lies an opportunity. – Robert Kiposaki
- Running away from a problem only increases the distance from the solution. – Anonymous
Always remember that today’s problems will likely be forgotten in a week or a month, simply so they can make room for new ones. Embrace the challenge and know you possess the capacity to deal with anything the world throws at you!