No Solution? No Problem.

"If there is no solution, there is no problem." ~ Brian Tracy

I was listening to an audiobook the other afternoon during my walk when those words by Brian Tracy caught my attention. "If there's no solution, there's no problem."

I had to think this one over. If there's no solution, there's no problem? Really? How about the problem of homelessness? How about the thousands of children in our community who don't have enough to eat? Or, on a more personal level, what about the traffic that has increased seemingly exponentially in the last few years? These issues (and others like them) haven't been resolved, so are we saying these aren't problems?!?

OK, STOP! Calm down, Steven. Take a couple of deep breaths.

All right, I'm feeling calmer now. And I realize that just because we don't have a solution . . . yet . . . it doesn't mean there is no solution. So, yes - those are real problems, complicated problems that require intelligent, compassionate, and brave actions - and I hope solutions will be found. And soon. (Wishful thinking.)

So let's look at a couple of things.

". . . there's no problem." I went out to mail a package the other day. On the way to the post office, I passed the scene of a traffic accident. It had both lanes completely blocked. Fortunately, I was on the opposite side of the street, so traffic was still flowing smoothly. However, traffic on the accident side was stuck, not moving at all, backed up for blocks. Including at the entrance to the post office. There was no way that I could turn in and, even if I could, no way I could get out again till the traffic cleared. Did I have a problem? No. No solution, no problem. I continued on my way, deciding to mail my package another time.

"If there's no solution . . ." But let's look at my predicament from a different angle. Suppose it was imperative that I get to the post office. Think "income tax return on April 15" imperative. Then I have a problem. But there is a solution, actually several of them. There are many other post office branches within a few miles of where I was. I could easily have decided to make the effort to drive a little further and solve my problem.

When a situation cannot be changed or resolved, continuing to see it as a problem only creates unnecessary stress and frustration. Instead, accepting reality as it is can help us move forward.

For example, consider an athlete who, after a serious injury, is no longer able to compete at the professional level. She may see her reduced physical capacity as a major problem - one she desperately wants to "fix." However, if the injury is permanent, there is no solution that will restore her former abilities. In this case, the problem is not something she can solve. It's a situation she must accept.

Once she shifts from trying to "solve" the unsolvable to accepting the new reality, she can focus on adapting, perhaps by mentoring younger athletes, pursuing a new passion, or finding other fulfilling ways to stay engaged in sports. The "problem" only exists if she continues to resist the reality of her condition.

Or imagine you work with a difficult colleague who is perpetually negative or uncooperative. You see this as a constant source of frustration and try to change your colleague’s behavior, only to find that nothing works. There may be no realistic solution for making this colleague more pleasant or cooperative.

By accepting that your colleague is unlikely to change, you can stop wasting energy trying to "fix" him or her and instead focus on how you can respond — perhaps by setting boundaries, adjusting expectations, or finding ways to minimize interactions. The "problem" disappears when you stop seeing your colleague’s behavior as something you must solve and instead adapt your approach.

Reframing a situation from "problem to be solved" to "reality to be accepted" allows us to move from frustration toward peace, clarity, and constructive action. This does a couple of things. One, it frees up mental and emotional resources and allows you to move on. And two, it encourages a proactive approach to identifying and solving real problems, those you can do something about.

Examine a problem you're facing. Do you have one (or more) that has been hanging around for a while? If there is no way to find a solution, then you shouldn't consider it a real problem as you can't actively address it. Let it go. Then put your attention and energy into solving the problems you can resolve. That's embracing your Excelerated Life?!

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Resources:

Tracy, Brian. Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2003.

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