You think you’ve got problems!?

Of course you do.  We allhave our own.  Some problems might stareat you with ugliness and contempt.  Thetruth is, this is the perfect time to create something beautiful.

Years ago, somebody was lucky enough to be born when anyonebefore them used their brain to write down the clever tidbit, ‘Every problem isan opportunity.’   As true as this is, itsounds like garbage due to its overuse.

I write on many different topics here and sometimes I have close friends or colleagueswho say things like, ‘I think it’s great that you write about things even youneed to improve on’.  Ha!  I have never really thought about it that way,but it is indeed true.  Well, today’spost will be something anyone who has ever met me knows to be my forte; Findingsolutions for problems.  Below are the thingsI have come to do naturally in the event of a problem. 

1. A foolproof way to make your problems seeminsignificant and remove the panic from your emotions?  OPEN YOUR EYES.  Get off of your computer and walk around yourcity.  Good spots include: Your downtowncore, your downtown bus depot or your dodgy neighborhoods.  You’ll notice people who are quite obviouslystruggling.  If they are alive andsurviving, so can you.   Removing panicfrom the situation is a great first step for turning problems into solutions.  Remember, this is not the end of the world.
2.  Now that you’re calm, consider how the problem occurred.  There is nothing you can do now, to changewhat just happened.  There is no way youcan alter the past.  Instead of dwellingon what you could have done, immediately vow to not allow the sequence ofevents that occurred to happen again. Have tough calls to make in order for that to happen?  Make them! No one ever got to the top by being a wimp.
3. Assign a dollar value to the problem.  Most business related problems have a dollaramount attached to them.  If you could pusha button and get money, how much would you need to solve this one?  Is your problem a $100 problem?  $1,000 problem?  $10,000 problem?  There are two ways to look at the problemonce you have completed this exercise.  Ifit’s a smaller number, brush it off, fix it over the next few days and live tofight again.   If the number is on thelarger end of the spectrum, go back to step one and put your life into perspective.  There are people in our world who have muchgreater challenges.  Be honest with thosearound you and push forward.  The onlytime you are at risk of failing because of an unexpected problem is when you donothing, freeze up or start dealing from defense.  Always push forward, remember you are betteroff than most and find creative ways to solve what’s happening.  Feel better? If you don’t, you didn’t do it right. 

When confronted with a problem, breathe, minimizethe problem in your head and fix it. Should you have the luxury of a mentor to talk to you could also; Stop,collaborate and listen.