#024 Problems Are a Good Thing

Read time — 6.5 minutes

Consider following me on Threads, Instagram, and Facebook

Hey bud,

Have you ever felt overwhelmed because of a problem you were facing?

I want you to think back to around 10 years ago. To a moment when you just had to take a minute to pause and essentially re-evaluate your life because of a problem you faced back then.

Anything come to mind?

For me it was when I learned that I flunked the entrance exam of the ONLY college (university) that I applied to.

I thought my life was over at that moment.

But… things fell into place, I was able to re-take the exam, pass it, and I ended up getting my bachelor’s degree 4 years later.

What about you?

What was a problem you faced back then?

I want you to notice how much overwhelm you feel now when you think back to that experience.

If it’s a problem that you were able to resolve, then you won’t really feel any overwhelm about it.

If it’s a problem that you WEREN’T able to resolve, then maybe you still feel a bit of overwhelm about it — but definitely not as much as when you faced that problem in real time.

Why is that, you think?

Here’s why:

Perspective.

Your problems are as big as you make them.

The more zoomed in and hyper-focused you are on a problem, the bigger the problem becomes, and the more it becomes your reality.

The more you zoom out, that same problem becomes smaller and smaller.

In this week’s letter we’ll explore a way that can help you start creating solutions to your problems by adopting specific perspectives.

By learning how to create solutions to your problems you will have:

• The ability to create relief from stress

• Increased productivity

• Better decision-making

• Increased confidence

• A positive impact on the people you care about

And much much more.

Let’s get into it.

Everyone Experiences Problems

You are not alone.

Your ego can convince you otherwise when you’re experiencing a big problem in your life.

The ego actually pushes us to extreme perspectives.

It either tells you: “My life is the greatest!” Or it tells you “My life is the worst... far far worse than anyone else.”

(I talked about the ego and building self-esteem in one of my previous letters. Read about it here.)

Problems are an inevitable part of life. No one is exempt from this.

(Yes, even THAT friend you have on social media. You know, the one that shows their life off as if it’s the “perfect life?” Yeah, they experience problems too).

What separates those that succumb to their problems and those that thrive in spite of their problems is this:

Those that thrive adopt the perspective that problems are simply opportunities for growth and development.

There are always 2 sides of a coin. If there is a problem on one side, then there is an opportunity on the other side that you are not seeing because you’re too laser focused on the problem.

Zoom out.

Alex Hormozi said it best:

As you zoom out, the problem shrinks from the size of the earth to the size of a peanut.

As the problem shrinks, you will have the mental capacity to start looking for the opportunity on the other side of the coin.

Problems Are a Good Thing

Most people want to avoid problems. They fear it.

But imagine a life with no problems at all.

Imagine a life where you got everything you wanted on a whim.

Imagine a life where you never needed to struggle, and you never had to experience any challenge whatsoever.

Most would think, “Wow that’s a great life!”

Hate to break it to you, but that would be a boring life.

Have you ever played a video game where you put in cheat codes and your character got all the power-ups, all the resources, and fighting the bad guys became a piece of cake?

Yeah, it’s fun at first (because of the novel experience). But eventually it gets boring.

Why?

There’s no challenge, there’s no excitement, there’s no thrill!

The same applies in life.

Problems are a necessary component of a fulfilling life.

They are also necessary for personal and professional growth.

No problems, no growth.

No growth, no improvement.

No improvement, boring life.

Problems also provide us with valuable feedback and insights into what areas need improvement.

They push us to think creatively, develop new skills, and find innovative solutions.

So, instead of avoiding and fearing problems, accept and embrace them.

I think of it like this — when I’m experiencing a new problem, it means I’m ready to level-up.

It means I’m at the starting point of my next level.

Because in essence, that’s what problems can be if you allow it.

They are the starting point of your next level.

Turning Problems into Goals

Contrast creates clarity.

Once it becomes clear what you don’t want, you will have more clarity on what you DO want.

This is the perspective shift required for you to effectively turn problems into goals.

Here are 3 simple steps that can guide you in this process:

Step 1: Identify the Problem

Identify the problem you are facing. Take time to really understand why this is happening and the impact it is having on your life or your work.

And please don’t blame this problem on something someone else did or an outside circumstance.

While your blame may be valid, you need to take responsibility for this problem — it’s your problem at the end of the day.

You have to solve your own problems because no one else will.

Blaming others will just cause you to fall into victim mentality.

Now, before you come at me with your torches and pitchforks — watch this video by Wayne Dyer. He illustrates this point beautifully in this 2 minute clip.

Step 2: Reframe the Problem as a Goal

Now that you have identified the problem, reframe it as a goal.

Ask yourself: “What do I want to achieve instead — that when I do, the problem is solved?”

I’ll give you an example from my own life.

Early this year the problem I experienced was that I was unhappy with how my body was.

I was 14 lbs heavier than what I’m used to, and I felt fat.

So, I reframed it and asked myself: “What do I want to achieve instead?”

Well, I wanted to be back at my normal weight at 150 lbs. So I set that as a goal.

Since then I’ve released 10 lbs already, and so I’m actively solving that problem for myself.

Reframe your problems into a goal.

If you need a guide for goal setting, you already know ;)

Step 3: Take Action

Once you’ve set a clear goal for yourself, take regular action towards that direction and you will eventually solve that problem.

Of course there’s a lot more that goes into this, but going over that would end up turning this letter into a novel. We’ll touch on that in future letters.

For now, if you want to learn more about this — feel free to reply to this email or message me on instagram with your thoughts.

In Conclusion

By reframing problems as goals, you empower yourself to take control of your life and work towards meaningful outcomes.

Problems stop becoming roadblocks and become opportunities for growth and personal development instead.

And by forming this new relationship with the problems in your life, you remove the obstructions.

Remove the obstructions from your mind, and you have peace.

Remove the obstructions from your heart, and you have love.

And always remember, that you deserve that.

All the love,
All the power,

— Zach Marañon

P.S. Whenever you are ready, there are 3 ways that I can be of help to you:

1. Follow me on Instagram here if you want a source of bite-sized ideas and content that can help you reach your next level in life.

2. Book a free kick-off conversation for one-on-one coaching here if you are an entrepreneur or sales professional currently looking to create solutions to a problem or challenge in your life but you seem to be stuck.

3. Download my goal setting guide here if you are wanting to create clarity on your desired outcomes (Free until 100 downloads — and then I convert it to a paid resource).

P.P.S. If you are from the Philippines and are looking for a personal mastery workshop to help you experience growth and transformation, check out Discovery by I Am Plus Coaching and Training Systems. It’s where my journey of self evolution personally got fast-tracked.