Proper Perspective on Problems

We sometimes lack a proper perspective on things, and nowhere is this more evident than in what we commonly call "problems." Here is an excerpt from Chapter Thirteen of the book "Secrets of Lucky People," which addresses this using a simple example.

A Deeper Look at "Problems"

I have to put the word in quotation marks, because problems really are not what we think they are. For example, a man can call it a problem when he misses his bus to work, but the "problem" is primarily a matter of perspective. He has an idea about what "should" happen - in this case getting to work on time, and he sees this as the only acceptable outcome.

In other words, his attention becomes fixed on just the one possibility. Then, when reality (in this case missing the bus) is different from what he thinks "should" happen (getting to work on time), he is disappointed. He resists what is happening and is stressed as he scrambles to find a "solution" to his "problem." He may even imagine losing his job and the negative consequences which could come from that, thus creating more fear and pain.

The result? His mind is closed to the many other possibilities that exist. In reality, the man is just standing there watching a bus go away in the distance, while the world around him is constantly changing and moving on. Is this actually a problem in a negative sense? Is it demonstrably bad? Only by the measures we choose to use.

It's true that he might lose his job. But what else is possible? Lets look at a few of the endless possibilities.

He might catch the next bus.

He might sit down and cry and lose all motivation.

He might go find a better job.

He might lose his temper and hurt people.

He might take a taxi to work and have a good conversation on the way.

He might get angry and in this state not see a car that hits and kills him.

He might call in sick to work and do something fun that day.

He might go home and spend the day worrying about everything.

He might decide to buy a car so this won't happen again.

He might get yelled at by his boss the next day.

He might take the day off and explore new businesses he can start.

He might use this opportunity to turn his attention to his own thought process which causes so much stress, and then with observation and self-work learn a better way to live.

We could go on. We could imagine a thousand possible scenarios, some which we would call good and some which we would call bad. But this isn't just an invention of ours. We can look at real life and see that there are actually and always infinite possibilities, and never just one problem which needs to be resolved one way.

Of course we purposely devise some problems we want to resolve, like math equations, goals we set, and new inventions. But when it comes to "oh no!" kinds of "problems," they simply exist because our minds habitually create them by comparing "what is" to what we think "should be."

What is:

The man is simply standing there at a bus stop with a thousand possibilities before him, oblivious to almost all of them because he sees only his self-created problem.

Have you ever caught yourself thinking or even saying, "This isn't how it's supposed to be!" If so, you have a "supposed to" or "should be" version of reality in your mind, which makes you painfully resist what actually is happening or what actually exists. This is not only painful, but it gets you stuck on one possibility: resolving the problem you just created.

To clarify this a bit more: A broken leg is real. The pain is real, and the necessity of care for it to be healed is real. But these are simply the facts. It is thoughts, such as, "This never should have happened," and "Oh look at the terrible things this means," which make it into a problem. Rocks are hard and life ends, but we don't necessarily see these as problems because they are simply facts which we accept. The difference may seem subtle, but it is real.

Here is one more example to make this clear: A man might consider it an irritating or even terrible hassle if he has to walk two miles in the rain to get to work. And yet the same man might consider it a major pleasure to walk twenty miles through blizzards to get to the top of a mountain he has always wanted to climb. The reality alone does not describe a problem nor limit the possibilities: our mental approach to it does.

To be able to see opportunity in every problem, then, start doubting your old perspectives. Read this chapter again if that helps. Remind yourself that at every point in life, and when facing every problem, there are many more possibilities than you can even imagine. Which ones will come to pass? You can't know for certain, but you can open your mind and participate in creating the possible outcomes.

Note: This was an excerpt from Chapter 13 ( Miss A Flight, Make A Billion - Having The Right Perspective) of Secrets of Lucky People - A Study of the Laws of Good Luck. This is my own book, which is available from Amazon.com as well as other book vendors. The better value though, is the ebook version, which comes with some nice bonuses. You can find that here:

Secrets of Lucky People

by Steve Gillman