Got problems - welcome to the club! One of my heroes, the late Norman Vincent Peale, once said, “There is only one group of people that don’t have problems, and they are all dead. Problems are a sign of life. So the more problems you have, the more alive you are.” My addition to Norman’s quote would be, “If you don’t have any problems, maybe you are on the way out of here and you don’t even know it yet.”

If you choose this can be perceived as a tongue-in-cheek philosophy of life, however, it is closer to the truth than you might think. One thing you and I have both learned is that everyone has problems. Some have relationship problems, others financial, some career, others health, some social, others business. No one is immune to problems in life.

The key is to accept the issues, negatives, problems, situations (I don’t care what you call them) as a part of the life process of becoming. Failures, whiners or victims see problems as life ‘picking’ on them. Winners, regardless of their position, status, age or circumstances, see problems and adversity as catalysts to becoming better, stronger, wiser, and more aware of the reality of their life.

Problems are not positive or negative; they are neutral. It isn’t what is happening in your life that matters; it is how you choose to see it and what you do with it. Learn to see the negatives as teachers in your life – bringing you the opportunity to get: a clearer vision of where you may need attitude adjustments, improved thinking, better skills, clearer focus, .more effort, etc. etc.

Tim Connor
http://www.timconnor.com