Overcoming Problems

Okay! This post won’t take a minute to read, but should help start your day off right. When your day (week/month/year) starts with a plop instead of a bang, how do you cope? Do you wallow, cry, hang out in your pj’s and rant about your problems on Facebook?

Nah. You’re a smarty-pants. You do THIS:

1. STOP wringing your hands over “the problem” and call it a challenge instead.

It’s only a problem if you think it is. And if you think it’s a problem and you focus on it and worry about how horrible it is, the problem often becomes that much bigger. Example of a problem: I am sick to death of my blog and I do not want to write one more stinking blog post, EVER AGAIN. (Note: This is just an example, not taken from real life. We love our blogs). So instead of calling whatever-it-is THE PROBLEM, name it a challenge instead. It becomes less like Everest and more like a rise in the road. No biggie. You’ve overcome massive challenges to get where you are. Okay? Good. Let’s move on.

2. State exactly what the problem challenge is. Explain the challenge. Define it.

Example of “the problem” renamed the challenge: Where can I get some fast, breezy, quick, fun ideas for blog posts that will re-energize my blogatude? Okay, good. Now that it’s defined, I bet you’re already beginning to think of possible work-arounds. (Here’s a post that will help: 101 Fabulous Blog Topic Ideas.) Keep brainstorming ways to overcome The Challenge until you have three solid ideas.

3. Prepare three potential solutions for the challenge.

Say your personal challenge this week is to boost your sagging book sales. Challenge Solutions – Examples: Drop the price on the first in the series and submit to a few good book promotion sites, staggered over the next few weeks. Or, have the covers re-done. Or, mount a massive campaign to submit to book bloggers to gain more reviews, because we know reviews sell books! Or, put together your own blog tour. Or, heck, just sit around and eat ice cream and cry. Which idea does NOT fit?

4. Decide on a course of action, then prepare an action plan to overcome the challenge.

This means choose one of your productive ideas, and not the “eat ice cream” one. Better yet, choose a few ideas and put them into an action plan to accomplish over time. Hint: rather than venting on Facebook, you can ask your Facebook friends for constructive ideas that will help you overcome your challenge. People love to help!

5. Place your plan into action.

Get out your calendar, day planner, online organizer, or the shreds of old, torn envelopes that you keep your notes on, and cobble out the sequence of the steps you need to take to get where you want to go. And then, here’s the big secret: ready? YOU HAVE TO DO IT. It’s not brain surgery. We all have down days. Angst and confusion are only an issue when we allow them to continue past their welcome. Get over the pity party and get to work!

Note from Molly: Check out my novels on Amazon, join my Reader’s Club for freebies and book news, and follow me on Twitter. This original content is copyright protected. Thank you so much. Mwah!