Problem Solving

Problem solving is a very important skill that every entrepreneur needs. One of the factors that drive many people away from starting business is the attendant problems and challenges. Entrepreneurs confront some fairly good dose of challenges. The truth also, is that many young businesses fail or die because of challenges. The more we are able to confront, handle, manage, and triumph over challenges, the higher the probability of success as entrepreneurs.

The entrepreneur will encounter many challenges. It is good for you to prepare your mind for that. You see, everybody has problems. Nobody has a special problem. You only have people who have made their problems special.

Bear in mind that the problem is not the problem; the problem is the person confronting the problem. Let this sink into your mind. Write it clearly where you can see it constantly. Because a slight change in your perspective to issues can cause a revolution in your business. Life is about perspectives. It is about how you see things. It is not so much about the things that happen to you but how you see the things that happen to you. If you believe, like I used to, that until you get out of this country you won’t prosper, then that is what your experience will be. It is not so much about the Nigerian economy but your own perspectives. Remember, “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he”.

Understand that the size of the person is more important than the size of the problem. There is no point running frantically all over the place trying desperately to solve the problem. The moment you become desperate, your behaviour shows that you believe that the problem is bigger than you are. The first thing you have to do if you feel anxious is to expand inside. This is best driven home by the story of a young boy who went fishing with his friend. Whenever he caught a fish, he would measure it with a stick and if the fish was longer than the stick he would throw it back into the water but if the fish was shorter than the stick he would throw it into his bucket. His friend, having watched him do this for some time, asked what the deep philosophy behind his actions was. The young man answered, “You see, I have a frying pan at home and I have used this stick to measure the frying pan. Any fish longer than the stick is too big for my frying pan that is why I throw them back into the river”. The human mind functions the same way as this young man’s actions. Whatever idea or challenge is bigger than your mind can handle is rejected or thrown out by your mind. Instead of throwing away the fish, why not expand the ‘frying pan’. Our GOD is wonderful. He will not allow challenges to come your way that you cannot handle. Really, problems come to show you what you can tackle.

The first dimension to problem solving is your attitude to the problem. The moment you can develop the right attitude towards problems there’s no limit to how high you can rise because problem solving is the quickest route to gaining leadership. In building and running a business there is no point you will get to that you won’t have problems to confront. Whether you are the head of a company or not, the moment you have a good handle on your attitude towards problems, and instead of running away from problems others have abandoned you proffer solutions to them, then you are on your way to the top. The very thing, which causes some people to fail, is the thing which causes others to succeed. One person’s problem is another’s opportunity. It has to do with how you see and approach the problem. Attitude is more important than fact. Your attitude is more important than the fact of the problem. The unfortunate thing however, is that most people’s lives are ruled by facts. “Can’t you see, it’s the biggest problem in the world?” they say. When it comes to the issue of solving problems, your attitude to the problem is more important than the fact of the problem. What do problems mean to you? A wise man says, “In the presence of adversity, some develop wings others grow on crutches”.

You have got to see problems as common. Sometimes, when you look at the fact of the situation, the tendency is to think something has happened to you that had never happened to anyone before. This is not true. The moment you allow your problem to birth in you a negative attitude, a belief in impossibility, you would not be able to handle the problem objectively. Instead of looking for solutions, you would be looking for excuses for failure.

Remember, life is about perspectives. What seem like a mountain to an ant is a small stone to a human. Expand your mental capacity. Face the problem with the attitude that there is a way out and you will find it. Moreover, believe that GOD will help you to overcome it. Whatever your challenge today, don’t run away from business. This situation will pass. Be like a postage stamp that sticks to a letter till it gets to its destination. Remember, beyond the clouds, the sun is still shining. This dark cloud will pass.

You will Succeed.