“There is no such thing as a problem. The word problem is a label for a situation. There are merely situations, which become problems only if we choose to view them that way. We can choose to label any given situation as a problem or an opportunity or “to be determined” or any other label we choose. The label we assign to each of our situations creates our perception and experience of it. Want to cause yourself stress and make life more difficult than it needs to be? Label all your undesirable situations as problems and just keep piling them on top of your existing problems.” Hal Elrod, from “The Miracle Equation”

What a refreshing and exciting book “The Miracle Equation” is! And how this passage jumped out at me and begged to be shared!

What a liberating way to look at the word “problem.” Just consider the possibilities:

There are no problems — only situations.

A situation can be labeled anything we want.

A situation can be an opportunity, a learning experience, a gift that helps us grow — or a problem, an obstacle that holds us back.

The word “problem” feels heavy, doesn’t it—like a stone.

The word “opportunity” feels exciting—like a door we can open or a new path we can go down.

Consider our “problems” as writers:

We’re having a tough time with a plot line.

We’re not happy with our latest draft.

We’re finding it touch to revise.

We’re having a hard time finding an agent or a publisher.

Any of these “situations” can be problem or an opportunity, depending on how we choose to view it. If it’s a problem, we can feel stuck and drained of motivation, discouraged. If it’s an opportunity, we can feel excited, energized, juiced and ready for action.

Thinking of “problems” as situations that are inherently neutral can be a great way to loosen up a challenging situation. Write on!

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