Why Problem Solving Doesn't Work in the New Era

Once in a while I run into a paradox in life – when in order to achieve something I have to do what feels like the total opposite.

Recently I’ve discovered that in order to achieve a certain type of success I’ve had to stop focusing on solving the problem and surrender into it.

Now the first time this concept was revealed to me I rejected it completely. I had up to that point defined much of my success on my innate ability to see a problem, find all the possible ways to solve it, pick the best solution and get into action. I am a problem solver!

So if my next level of success is based on NOT solving problems, what on earth will people want from me then? And how do you move through a situation you do not want if you don’t solve a problem?

This was a real mind-bender for me!

So of course, I kept doing what I always did – finding ways to solve the problem.

Guess what, the problem came back. This time in a more painful way.

I heard the advice again, “Melanie, when you focus on the problem you give energy to it. What if you just focus on the outcome you deeply desire.”

Ok, I think I’m getting this now. Focus on what I DO want. In this case what I wanted was to feel liberated – I imagined what it might be like to have the feeling of peace, total bliss and to know that everything I might need was taken care of without me having to strategize, figure it out or solve a problem.

Ten minutes later my brain has contorted back into how to fix the problem but what had shifted was my awareness. I deeply realized that many of us when faced with a new way to create our desired outcomes get frustrated – it’s new, it’s scary, its foreign and it’s just a heck of a lot easier to slide back into our old ways of getting things done. At least we feel like there is movement – even it if takes longer to get there, right?

My new self had an epiphany – as we enter into this new era of entrepreneurship we have to trust the unknown to get to a new level of success. We can’t keep sliding back into the comfort zone where we know what to do. Its time to say yes to new strategies and release the old paradigm approach that often results in short term wins at the expense of a long term pay off.

So this problem you have is actually an opportunity. It’s a fork in the road. Instead of worrying, ruminating and trying desperately to fix it, what if you acknowledged the situation, surrender to understanding the opportunity in it, and focus on what you ideally do want? Then claim that?

Sound too hard? It might be. That’s OK if its where you are at. But remember, struggling to solve a problem just creates more drama, chaos and negative energy in your life.

How about we try it out, just this once. What have you got to lose, right? I’d love to hear what you “opportunity” is and what you truly desire.