July 2021 Newsletter I AM the problem and I’m also the solution
I AM the problem—and I’m also the solution
When I was growing up, there were times when my mother told me that I was my own worst enemy. Like so many other things she told me, that comment was spot on. I can attribute just about every challenge or BAD thing that has happened in my life to something I did or didn’t do… and I can also attribute just about everything GOOD that has happened in my life to something I did or didn’t do.
I believe your success is determined by your ability to find solutions to the problems or challenges you face. First you have to identify the problem, and then you have to find the solution.
I have been in straight commission sales since I was 23 years old. If I didn’t solve the problems that came up every day, I didn’t eat! In sales we always say that the best way to get the deal is to find an acceptable solution for the problem or task at hand. In my real estate career that is exactly what I was commissioned to do… get the house sold and closed for the seller, or find a house for the buyer.
I make it my mission and my passion to find a solution for the task at hand, and if I don’t do this then I have no one to blame but myself. The same is true in my speaking and coaching career, where my mission is to help others find solutions to their challenges and to help them prosper.
“If you don’t focus on finding solutions, you will remain lost in your problems.”
If you’re wondering how to begin solving the problems in your life, here are a few ideas:
- Be grateful for what you already have. There is nothing wrong with wanting more out of life, but feeling grateful for what you already have will remove the stress of always wanting more. I have made it my daily mission to be aware of all the things I am grateful for and to say it out loud. It feels good when I do this.
- The solution to most of your problems may be to change the way you think about them. I started doing this 20 years ago, and it works. I identify what my problem is, and then I give it a number on a scale of 1 to 10, with “1” being “not that big of a deal” and 10 being “the Mac Daddy of all problems.” This helps me identify how significant this issue is in my life. When I really thought about it, most of my problems were only a 1 or a 2. When a problem was a 5 or greater, then I would focus all of my energy on finding a solution. That usually required making a strategic plan and then implementing it right away so the problem would not get any worse.
“Life is a series of problem-solving opportunities. The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you, depending on how you respond to them.”
- Take a look at the people in your life. Maybe you are choosing to spend time with people who are not good for you. They don’t really care about you, or they inspire you to behave in a way that is counterproductive to what you are trying to achieve. In other words, they bring out the worst in you. Separate yourself from people like this. Remember that you are the average of the five people you choose to spend the most time with.
- Stop looking at your obligations as problems. Instead, see them as opportunities. For example, instead of saying “I have to go to work today,” tell yourself “I get to go to work today.” Instead of saying “I have to pay my bills,” say “I get to pay my bills because I am blessed to have a roof over my head, clothes in my closet, and food on my table.” Replacing “I have to” with “I get to” will make a dramatic change in your mindset as you approach everyday challenges.
Look at the challenges or problems you face and then think of solutions that will give you a more satisfying quality of life. God gave each of us the ability to self-correct… but only if we take the time to do it. Never, ever lose sight of the fact that YOU ARE THE SOLUTION to each of your problems or challenges.
If not now, then when? And if not you, then who?
