Really, is there any such thing as a good problem? I mean if we have a problem it is a problem, right?
Of course there are real problems that need very real solutions. But there are also problems that could easily be turned into opportunities, and there are problems that are indeed very good problems. Even problems or challenges that become opportunities need to be managed correctly in order to convert the opportunity into an achievement or success story.
And then there are the good problems. Those are the problems that also require a solid solution or proactive strategy or they too can quickly move from being a good problem to a very bad problem or crisis if not managed carefully and properly.
Let’s look at just a couple of examples of what those good problems might look like. One such example may be that you have been a victim of “downsizing” or “right sizing” at work and have found yourself unemployed. However, you have been given a very lucrative severance package and you have more new job offers than you know what to do with. With each new day, another job offer seems to come your way. The good problem is that you are making money from your severance and you have opportunities ahead of you. How this turns into a bad problem is when you get comfortable not working, or procrastinate on your decision-making about which new job opportunity to take, and before you know it the money is gone and so are the offers.
Another good problem could be that you own a business and have more customers than you can possibly serve. Money is coming in, cash flow is good, customers and employees are happy, and you are enjoying your vacation time. If you watch the Food Network or happen to catch any of those restaurant shows where they have to do a makeover or fix the business, many of those owners had a very good problem at one time, they had more customers than they could serve. Before they knew it, quality suffered, service slowed down, chefs and servers walked off the job, and the ownership ended up in crisis mode. Enough of a crisis mode where they had to invite in a restaurant consultant and television show to help them re-establish their brand and credibility or risk losing everything they had worked so hard for.
You see, there really are good problems in life. But the word “problem” is still there. And as stated earlier, every problem, good or bad, needs a solution. My Uncle Harry used to always say, “Nothing is so bad it couldn’t be worse, and there is nothing so good that it couldn’t be better.” Just another way of saying, we have to manage all the situations, challenges and opportunities in our lives or they will become a problem.
So the next time you are explaining a situation to someone and they say, “Well that’s a good problem to have,” instead of taking pride in that good problem, it should put you on alert. And instead of sitting back and getting caught in the comfort zone, the first thing you should do is pay attention to the word “problem” and figure out a plan and strategy to keep that good problem train chugging along or have a clear path to get the train back on the tracks of consistency. Problems are easy, solutions take work.
How about you, have you ever been in a “good problem” situation? What did you do about it or what are you doing about it? I would love to hear all about it at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we turn our good problems into even better opportunities, it really will be a better than good week.
Michael Norton is a resident of Castle Rock, the former president of the Zig Ziglar Corporation, a strategic consultant and a business and personal coach.