What do you do with problems?

Well? What do you do with problems?

The intuitive answer is "solve them." I bet this is what you said - solve them, find a solution.

But here's my question to you - is that really what you do with problems? When you run into a problem at work, at home, at school, etc., do you start thinking of a solution, or if you can find one, start implementing it? Is that really your first thought? Be honest.

In my random observations of human beings and human behavior, I have found one thing to be almost universally true. The first thing most people do when they run into a problem is to COMPLAIN about it. When we find something that's not working, we complain, we whine, we find someone to blame, we ask who's fault it is, etc. Now it's important to find out why something went wrong, but not to place blame, but rather to prevent the same thing from happening again. But our first approach to any problem should be to find a solution. If you find the printer is jammed, don't just stand there and complain about the general incompetence of the people who should be taking care of the equipment, or how this is going to mess your day, etc. Unjam the printer, and if you can't, find another one, and move on with your day. If the toilet is clogged, don't start whining about how unsanitary everything is, and how people need to drink more water to not clog the toilet - find a plunger and unclog it, or find another toilet, call maintenance, or the plumber, and move on with your day. I could go on and on with examples, and I know you can add your own.

Why am I talking about this? After all, isn't complaining just part of human nature? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But do you have any idea how much energy is takes to complain? And how unproductive it is? Solving the problem is such a better way to spend your time and energy! It's such a better way to get your creative energies going and to be a positive influence in your environment.

If you are going to be successful in life it's important that you close the spout of complaints and whines, and open the fount of creative problem-solving energy in your life. Even if you only run into small problems like a clogged toilet, or a misplaced pen, promise yourself that you won't complain, but will instead find a solution. Try to do this intentionally each time you run into a problem, and you will start to notice a change in your thinking, your energy, your life, and the people around you.