Be #Aboutit

When I learned how to manage my emotions, I started to master my circumstance — opposed to letting the ebb and flow of my life control me. My life didn’t get any easier, but the excuses were dismissed, leaving only me to take responsibility for my peaks and valleys.

In a sense, it was like I was entering the real world for the first time: acknowledging the full weight of the decision making process without the luxury of accomplices, team mates or “fall guys” to take/share the blame. I had to be fully accountable for my actions.

“Wanting success is not enough, you have to work for it.”

I noticed a shift in how I was responding to adversity. Instead of making a list of reasons why some other person, place, or thing had caused a problem; I was owning the issues and sharing in the successes.

In short, the problems didn’t matter anymore — I had shifted my focus to finding solutions and becoming a better problem solver.

Here are 99 reasons why I suggest you make the shift too:

1. Everyone has problems, but only a limited amount of people find solutions.
2. I have yet to encounter a person who hasn’t experienced hardship — period.
3. The sooner you overcome an obstacle, the sooner you get back to doing the things you enjoy.
4. Life is unpredictable.
5. Stress doesn’t have any positive side effects.
6. If you look hard enough or long enough — you can always find a person worse off than you.
7. You survived the last crisis.
8. Problems are a teachable moment.
9. At the end of the day, the blame game doesn’t accomplish much.
10. Nothing new under the sun: you are facing a challenge, which others have conquered

12. No one ever said it was going to be easy.

13. If you ignore an issue you are sure to find more that follow.

14. Time is precious.

15. Your goals deserve your attention.

16. You will thank yourself later.

17. Overcoming obstacles builds character.

18. Problem Solvers are rewarded.

19. Short supply of problem solvers: High demand for problem solving.

20. You will feel a sense of accomplishment when you solve a problem.

21. Focusing on your problems will make you bitter.

23. The grass is greener on the other side.

24. Focusing on solutions will make you better.

25. The road to tomorrow is paved with obstacles.

26. You can complain, but 99% of people don’t care.

27. Problems were created for a solution.

28. Tough times don’t last.

29. When you envisioned your future — problems didn’t matter.

30. Somebody said you couldn’t do it.

31. Don’t let them win.

32. Don’t allow yourself to lose.

34. Problems have an expiration date.

35. Life is a game: play to win.

36. You will be remembered by how you responded to adversity and controversy.

37. You are living a dream until you find something that challenges your reality.

38. Winners embrace the challenge of overcoming defeat.

39. Your biggest challenge in a race is yourself.

40. You have to make a choice — fight or flight.

41. The harder life pushes, the harder you will be required to push back.

42. Your problems goal is to take your attention away from your goals.

43. It is a good day to do better.

45. To get better every day you will have to overcome obstacles.

46. There will always be haters — give them something to hate.

47. Your success is the best revenge.

48. Nobody’s perfect: keep moving forward.

49. Leaders are forged during times of controversy.

50. Tests are designed to be passed.

51. You can’t win, if you quit.

52. Your plan doesn’t have a pause button.

53. You can never surrender to the problems, while you are fighting for your dreams.

54. Every great work of art required revisions.

56. While preparing for tomorrow’s challenge you are forced to overcome today’s problem.

57. The thrill of victory is the greatest form of inspiration.

58. Success is measured by the obstacles that you overcome.

59. Wanting success is not enough, you must work for it.

60. No matter how deep the hole — champions find a way to bounce back.

61. Obstacles challenge the brave to improve performance.

62. To succeed you will have to win in spite of adversity.

63. To accomplish anything worth remembering, you will have to overcome adversity.

64. The world is watching.

65. This may be your only opportunity to address the problem.

67. The world breaks everyone, but only a few take the time to complete repairs.

68. You can only unlock your full potential by overcoming adversity.

69. The next step should be better than your current mess.

70. If it hasn’t killed you: You can turn it into a stepping stone.

71. Enduring problems is the price paid for progress.

72. What doesn’t break you — makes you.

73. You are stronger than a tough problem.

74. A single step back can start a free fall.

75. If you can endure: you can succeed.

76. Great works are completed in spite of setbacks.

78. When you look for solutions you get better at identifying problems.

79. Tough people persevere in spite of problems.

80. You have to endure to succeed.

81. Survival requires adaptation.

82. Success is not easy.

83. You will never forgive yourself if you give up.

84. If you want to reach your potential you will have to persevere.

85. Remember why you started.

86. Someone is being inspired by your struggle.

87. Every good plan requires revision.

89. Adversity is as natural as success.

90. Your response to adversity is a measure of your strength.

91. Change is going to come: it is up to you to determine who is in the driver’s seat.

92. Problems arise — problem solvers go for it.

93. The hand you’re dealt or the hand you worked for? You decide.

94. An optimist see’s an opportunity in every problem.

95. The road to success is filled with problems.

96. The capacity to overcome obstacles is at the foundation of leadership.

97. Every great leader possesses the courage to own up to and overcome mistakes.

98. Practical progress requires vision and initiative in the face of adversity.