We live in a troubled world, and problems exist all around us. If you’ve watched the news recently it seems there isn’t much else besides problems. We experience health problems, financial problems, family problems, job problems, neighborhood problems, political problems, social problems and problems with other people just to name a short few. Problems are everywhere and every day. They come unannounced and unwanted. Some of them resolve quickly, some of them seem to take a long time, and some problems always have been and always will be; some problems never will change.

Some problems are directly under our control and influence. These seem to be easier to deal with, because we generally have immediate actions we can take. Even if those problems are not quick to resolve, the feeling of being active and having things to do to bring about a resolution gives us a feeling of purpose and control. We can turn our focus on to what we can do to move toward rectifying things. We can enlist the help of friends, family or professionals. We can direct finances as needed. In doing so, we are focused not on the problem itself, but on the resolution of the problem. Subconsciously, we are focused on the opportunity we have to fix what is broken. The more severe the situation is, the more sanity we seem to retain because we have definite, purposed actions we can take.

Unfortunately, many problems are not directly under our control and influence. Mass shootings, wars, poor political decisions, layoffs, global pandemics, supply chain disruptions and adverse medical diagnoses are all examples and there are scores more. We can feel like we’re along for the ride of life with nothing to hold onto. Lack of control is scary and uncomfortable; we experience feelings of fear and even panic. It’s bad when it’s us, it’s so much worse when it’s someone we love. We can also experience deep empathy for those we don’t even know who are going through things we’d not wish on our enemies.

It’s these kinds of problems I am mostly thinking of. I believe there is a way to go through anything we have to face and I believe the same tools we use when we have control of a situation can be used when we don’t, just in different ways.

When we know how to act and can act, we generally do act. The what to do is obvious so our reaction times are much shorted. With problems we cannot control, we struggle with not knowing what to do – the powerlessness of the situation – which takes a toll on us mentally and emotionally.

It’s these emotions that we are left with that we can and must do something about. One of the first things we must do is get to a place of acceptance. What is, is. It shouldn’t be, we wish it wouldn’t be, but here it is. As long as we live in the mindset of “I wish it wasn’t”, we’re focusing on the problem itself. When that becomes all we can see, whatever good that could exist in the circumstance never makes it to the surface of our minds. When it tries, we often shove it back down focusing on what we wish wasn’t so.

It accomplishes nothing wishing something that was, was not. It can’t change it, it can’t help it, it can’t influence it, and it cannot bring us comfort. We end up living in regret which leads to despondency, depression and deepens our feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness. With out a doubt, the last thing we will ever find in such a state is opportunity.

When we can accept that something happened, it is what it is, we can name it, own it and define it. Just in doing that alone, we take away some of the sting of it. There it is in all its ugliness. We don’t like it, don’t want it, and maybe still wish it wasn’t, but it is and so the next logical question becomes “so now what?” Or, even better, “so what do I do now?”

Things we accept we can begin to do something about, even if it is “just” controlling our emotions. I talked to a friend recently who had an identity theft scare. Thankfully, it was thwarted and no harm came of it, but she mentioned the violation and how uncomfortable that felt. As we talked about it, and I encouraged her in the manner we’re discussing in this post, on her own she said “well, at least nothing happened,” and she’s exactly right. Her opportunity in a situation she could not control was to maintain her inner peace and her joyful outlook. She did it by not focusing on the violation and the feeling that it produced, and instead focused on her gratitude that steps she had put in place were effective.

I believe it’s a short step from acceptance to training ourselves to change how we look at adversity. We can turn our problems into opportunities by looking for what we can do, even if it’s only internally; mentally and emotionally. I hope we don’t discount the significance of this internal work. What happens on the inside of us – our thoughts and feelings – become our words and actions. We all know someone with a glass half empty outlook on life. When the chips are down, we don’t want them around, there’s no joy, no encouragement, no hopeful attitude. They suck the air out of a room.

Conversely, how many times have we been in situations where there was that one person who had the strength to put everyone on their back and by sheer force of will and attitude, lifted everyone’s spirits, rallied the team and led the charge to overcoming whatever obstacle was in the way? How many times have we admired them? How many times have we wished we could be them? We can! I’m a firm believer that if I’ve seen someone else do it, I can learn to do it too.

When I’ve learned to do it and incorporate it into my life, I can inspire and lead others to do the same. Together, we can become a brigade of people living our lives out loud, turning problems into opportunities, changing our lives and the lives of others and having a domino effect that reaches out to every corner of our influence.

It starts with a choice. The movie, Rush was based on the battle for the 1976 Formula One World Championship between James Hunt and Niki Lauda. In the tenth race of the season, Lauda crashed heavily and his car caught fire. He suffered extensive burns when his helmet came off during the accident. He inhaled toxic gases that caused burns to his lungs and damage to his blood. He was initially conscious, but lapsed into a coma on the way to the hospital. A priest was brought in to administer last rites.

After he revived, lying there in the hospital, he couldn’t see or speak, but he could hear. He heard the doctors and nurses conversing; he understood his medical situation, he knew he was expected to die. He managed to get them to realize he wanted the television and radio kept on at all times so he could focus on the sounds of life and the living. He missed the following two races, which were won by Hunt, causing Lauda’s large lead in the championship to dwindle. He listened to the broadcasts, and while doing so determined that he would live and not die. Not only that, he would get back in the car and fight for the championship.

Those two races were the only two he missed. He was back in the car six weeks later, finishing fourth and third to add to his points total and take the championship down to the last race of the season. He didn’t win the title that year, Hunt did, but Lauda came back and won it again in 1977 and 1984. He eventually died of lung disease as a result of his injuries….at the age of seventy, in 2020.

It is an extreme example, to be sure, but it illustrates the power of attitude. If people can be this determined in life and death situations, then certainly we can be in our circumstances that have smaller ramifications. Men and women across every spectrum of life have been backed into corners, left without reasons for hope, given up on, counted out and told their situations were hopeless or impossible, some even thought of being as good as dead.

They simply refused to accept defeat. Without knowing how they would overcome, they determined to turn problems into opportunities, refused to consider any other options, found the strength to focus only on what they could do and then went and did it. They didn’t listen to no, they didn’t complain, they didn’t blame themselves, others or circumstance. They just refused to quit. I make it a point to read stories like theirs to keep myself inspired.

We conform to what we feed on mentally and emotionally. Let’s feed on possibilities. Let’s feed on solutions. Let’s feed on winners. Let’s determine today that we will be those, like the ones that have come before us, who turn problems into opportunities. Do it for yourself and we’ll not only change our own lives, we’ll inspire others to join us in writing the best story for their lives.