Become A Problem Solver And Change Your Life

In this Words of Wisdom About Life, we’ll talk about the proverb: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”. This proverb focuses on the benefits and practicality of problem solving. We will be discussing three benefits of a problem solver today, but I go into much deeper detail in my book, Champion of Change if you interested.

You have two choices

You have two choices in life when it comes to dealing with problems. You can choose to believe that life is happening to you or that life is happening for you. If life is happening for you, then every time you see an opportunity or challenge, you will ask yourself, “What can I do to improve this situation”? It’s good to remember your problems are not unique to you. If you are facing a particular issue, then it’s likely other people are experiencing the same issue. Did you know most businesses are designed around solving a problem in their life? Then, once you solve the problem in your life, you can solve the problem for others. And the larger the problem, the larger the reward society will give you for solving the problem.

The bigger the problem…

Amazon is a good example of this. Amazon controls the majority of sales on the internet and that’s because they’re solving multiple problems. They make it easier to find particular items that could be hard to find in a store. They also have streamlined the shipping process so you receive your shipment within a couple days for a set price. You may not recall, but shipping prices and times use to be inconsistent and all over the place. Amazon also helps small businesses expand by getting their products in the hands of customers all over the world. There are plenty of other ways Amazon has helped solve problems for their consumers. However, these examples are enough to drive the point home.

When it comes to solving problems, you are rewarded whether the problem is small or large. Your reward, however, is going to be in proportion to the problem you are solving. If you have an entry-level job working at a fast-food restaurant or a grocery store, then the problem you are solving is relatively small and doesn’t require a specialized skillset. As a result, your compensation will be smaller than if you were a chef with specialized knowledge and a cooking show to reach the masses.

It’s worth the risk?

There is also the aspect of risk and reward. If you own the business, you are taking more risk than the employee. The employee is going to be paid regardless of whether one customer walks through the door or not. The business owner only gets paid when they provide a service for the customer. A doctor working in the hospital is going to be paid well, but their pay is going to be capped by the fact they are an employee. However, if a doctor decided to open her own practice, she has the ability to make nothing or millions. This change in income is tied to the risk she is accepting as a business owner.

Start problem solving where you are

If starting a business doesn’t make the most sense right now, you can use this proverb in your career. There are plenty of problems within most companies. If you stop cursing the darkness (complaining about the inefficiencies) and light a candle (solve the problem), you will set yourself apart from the rest of the staff. Create solutions to problems that occur on a regular basis. Your ideas will benefit everyone else going through similar If you created a workaround for a problem that occurs on a regular basis, is it possible other employees would benefit from your solution?

If so, you can share your solution with leadership and they will implement the change companywide. If you have a problem you can’t solve on your own, share your thoughts with leadership. Well run companies will empower you to seek out a solution to the problem. This again, will give you the opportunity to set yourself apart and line yourself up for leadership positions in the future.

Just a boy and his ice-cream

I remember when I was a kid and my family would visit Dairy Queen. There wasn’t a Dairy Queen near our house, so we would drive 40 minutes to the nearest one. When I was eight years old, I told my parents – when I get older, I am going to build a Dairy Queen much closer to our house. We would laugh and they told me I should do that. A part of me wishes we knew how to gain access to the money to start a business then. The post Shark Tank world we now live in means people understand how to raise millions of dollars in a relatively simple way.

On my way to becoming an adult and opening my Dairy Queen, someone opened one up 10 minutes from my house. When they opened it, my parents were like, “oh, there’s the Dairy Queen you were going to open”. Now, I don’t know how well that Dairy Queen is doing, but I know it’s still there to this day. It would have to be at least 20 years old by now. While I didn’t open that particular Dairy Queen, their thought process was probably the same. They knew people liked ice cream, but they had to drive so far to get it. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a closer option?

Final thoughts

You’ll find dealing with life from the vantage point of someone who lights a candle (problem solver) is much more beneficial than being someone who complains (curses the darkness). The challenges you are going to face in life are opportunities for you to make the world a better place. Whether you are offering improvements at your current job or opening a business of your own, you will be rewarded for your problem-solving mindset. Even if society doesn’t reward you for your efforts right away, you will feel the joy of empowerment. You will know you don’t have to sit back and wait for life to happen to you. Instead, you can take an active role and know life is happening for you; and the challenges you face are opportunities to improve your life and the lives of others.

Sources:

Inc: 8 Things Really Great Problem Solvers Do

CCMIT: Introduction To Problem Solving Skills

Image from: Freepik.com