How to Turn Your Problems into Rewarding Opportunities

Many entrepreneurs are great at spotting problems, but few have mastered the ability to turn their problems into fulfilling, impactful opportunities. It’s most likely not because you’re a negative person — it’s because your brain is actually programmed to identify and focus on problems. To protect you, your brain is constantly on the lookout for threats, problems, and obstacles to avoid or overcome. We’ve been wired like this since the beginning of time.

In theory this doesn’t sound like a problem, but in reality (especially the reality of an entrepreneur) this approach to life can blind us to the life-changing opportunities that lie right in front of us. Here are six steps to avoiding that and ultimately allowing your obstacles to help you become more resilient and relentless in pursuing your goals. Do this the next time your life or business presents you with a challenge or a curveball you didn’t see coming:

See also: If you want to be successful, correct your mindset

1. Find out the truth about the obstacle

When we have a problem, we are often too close to see it for what it really is. Before attempting to solve anything, give yourself the time and space to appreciate the obstacle for what it is. Do this by looking at the obstacle objectively and removing emotion and prejudice. This can definitely be more difficult for some, but it’s important that you’re clear on what the real problem is before you dive headlong into developing a solution. Too many entrepreneurs approach their problems heavily blinded by emotion, causing them to either freeze and do nothing or rush into overdrive with dozens of ineffective solutions and unaligned ideas.

Ask yourself: What is the real problem here? What is the actual severity of the problem? Is this something that can actually be resolved immediately, or do I need to allocate more time and space to evaluate and find solutions?

2. Choose a new perspective

As simple as that sounds, it is not that simple in practice. The first step to making something great out of a less-than-ideal situation is to see it differently. Instead of dealing with the problem and focusing all your energy on the fact that a problem exists, challenge yourself to look at it from a new angle.

For example, if a major account fails, does that ultimately mean you won’t meet your monthly or yearly sales goal? no What if instead you saw it as an opportunity to raise your prices or showcase that new offering you couldn’t stop thinking about? What if the customer’s withdrawal was actually a blessing in disguise and saved you from months of headaches?

Turning your obstacles into opportunities starts with intentionally managing the way you see them — and challenging yourself when you’re negative. What you focus on grows. So if you focus on your problems, your problems will unconsciously grow. The key is to train your brain to think positively and look for solutions.

See also: How to turn entrepreneurial obstacles into opportunities

3. Eliminate “failure” from your vocabulary

If you didn’t believe failure was possible, what would you do? Your perception of your problems will change immediately if you decide to embrace one of my favorite beliefs: fdisease does not exist. In every difficult time there are lessons to be learned, but that’s it. Failure doesn’t have to be an option in your life if you don’t let it happen.

When you move through life believing that failing is truly impossible, suddenly your obstacles don’t seem so impossible. You can move through the difficult chapters and remind yourself that you are learning to transform your life lessons, instead of “failed”.

The next time you face an obstacle and are afraid of failure, just ask yourself what you would do now if failure wasn’t an option. You will find yourself moving forward faster, with more confidence and less fear.

4. Focus on what you are doing can do – not what you can’t do

Complementary to step one, this is the next step in training your brain to be resilient and solution-oriented. It’s no coincidence that the world’s most successful entrepreneurs have the ability to spot a problem and quickly find a solution to fix it.

Instead of focusing your brain on the things that are out of your control, get your head around everything first is in your control. Make a list of everything you do can control now. You will be surprised at opportunities that you had not even thought of presenting themselves to you – and you will feel confident that you can overcome your obstacle.

See also: 7 ways to build resilience in challenging times

5. Get your power back

Think back to a time in your life when she were the answer to a problem. The truth is, we often go blind and forget that we always have the power to start that new business or grow to the next level. Just knowing that should empower you to stand up, remember how capable you are, and take the next step in overcoming your obstacle and making something incredible out of it.

6. Think “People First”

If a mentor or colleague has ever told you the importance of building your business with your customers first, you’re right. Businesses that adopt a customer-centric approach have a near-guaranteed guarantee of success for years to come and differentiate themselves in the marketplace. So, if you’re a business owner facing your next problem, challenge yourself to think about how you can come up with a solution that will help not only you, but your customers as well. By keeping your ideal customer in mind, you are guaranteed to create a great experience that your customers will want to return to again and again – and find creative ways to overcome your obstacles.

bottom line: As an entrepreneur, you inevitably face problems. Achieving your version of success isn’t about wishing your problems away, it’s about approaching them from a new perspective. We all have obstacles – it’s what you make of yours that counts.