What if I told you that we humans thrive on having problems to solve.
Would you believe me?
Like dirty laundry, there always will be pesky problems getting in the way. That, we can count on. Some thornier than others. Plus, many that feel more daunting than we believe we can handle…
…making it hard to believe we would thrive by having problems to solve.
But it’s true. If we didn’t have problems, we would just wither away as a culture and possibly as a species. Think about that for a moment.
A funny thing about it is this… how many times in your life have you thought to yourself something like, “If I can just get past these last few problems, I’d have it made?”
Being older and wiser now, at least on that last point, I’m starting to realize that having the right kinds of problems to solve keeps me going. Keeps me vital. What about you?
Instead of trying to avoid problems, what if we saw them as progress? [In the world of problems,] we must ask a much smarter question: Is our new problem better than our old problem?”
—Jason Feifer, Editor in Chief at Entrepreneur magazine
Now that’s a good question, isn’t it? But Jason, how can problems be progress? And what, we’re supposed to trade today’s problems with new, better problems?
So, hang with me and don’t worry, I’m not going to go all Rah, Rah, Rah on you about loving all the problems in our lives. We both probably have ones that we wish would just go away.
Believe me, I’m with you on that!
I’d also say yes, we can and do thrive when we have problems to solve. When we have a project… something to work on, something to stimulate our brains, to give us purpose, something to pull us together with other humans.
Oh, one last thing…
So, to wrap this up, let’s say we actually thrive on solving many problems. But here’s the thing—we think the goal is to not have any problems!
We couldn’t be more wrong about that. Period.
Do you think you’ll reach a point where you can say, “My work here is finished?
No more problems?
No more worry?
Just R&R?
What if that elusive purpose in our lives is to find and solve new problems?
There’s a reward in that progress.
The Untucked part of this is simple. Once we realize that most of what we do is solve the problems that come up in life, and even those we seek out., we can become more settled. It becomes easier to say, “Okay, I’ve got this.”
Think about it, it’s a mindset that will serve you.
#beUntucked.
p.s. It may help to use a kinder, gentler term instead of problem. Something like challenge. If a fully sugar-coated euphemism is in order, go all-out with opportunity.
p.p. s. Oh! One last thing, if you found this post helpful, be sure to share it with a friend. Use the Share-Buttons at the top or the bottom of the post. Thanks, I owe you one.
Copyright © 2023 Jeff Meister – All Rights Reserved
I’ve learned to prioritize my challenges, on a range from opportunities to problems.
My work gives me the opportunity to have time to think about my problems, instead of having to jump right into them. Once you know there is a problem, the subconscious mind can think and solve, while I actively work on a challenge or opportunity.
And I view my opportunities as a relief, since I can often work on those with the front of my mind, simply as muscle memory or a reflex.
And at this stage, I can work on my opportunities simply like a puzzle, getting the reflex parts completed, until the challenges show up. And with enough experience know the difference, between them, allows me to arrange the challenging parts, into another reflex answer.
And there’s simply times , that I’m not in the frame of mind to tackle the problem, until I’ve let my subconscious figure out the path to start on it. And then it’s time to actually think thru the process of tearing it apart, addressing the problems, thinking thru how I visualize it being fixed, explaining to someone else why this is my reasoning, and listening to others with experience when they think it thru.
Instead of a big problem, it was actually small opportunities, with a few challenges, and some brain work on a few problems that actually had to be thought thru, turning it into a one day challenge.
And, haha, I realize that made little sense to people that have different opportunities, challenges, problems, and skill sets.
But Jeff, you seem to have a logical mind, so I can see you working this way thru life.
Have a great new year, my friend.
John, I always appreciate when you share your thoughts on a post. Thanks for adding to it by sharing your process–I love it! Have a thriving, solvable, problem-filled 2024!