You Can Face ANY Challenge

What if I told you that almost every challenge is doable if you chop it down to size? Would you believe me?

When facing a difficult challenge, it is easy to get so worked up about it that you freeze up or quit. This happens when you feel like the problems are big and scary, like a monster. You are overwhelmed because you are facing the unknown, complexity or ambiguity. You feel like there is no escape and no way out. Then your mind tells you that you might as well give up. The task is impossible and there is no way that it can be accomplished.

If any of these thoughts enter your mind, you are simply looking for the easy way out. You are scared so you want to avoid what you fear. You want to hide from the problem and hope it goes away. All of us have done this at one time or another.

However, if you want to be successful, it is important to break this pattern and reframe how you think about challenges. Remember, most challenges do not have the potential to crush you and steal your dreams. Most problems are solvable, and this starts with changing your mindset and your approach.

Instead of perceiving a challenge as a threat, think of it as an opportunity. Reframe your fear into excitement. A tough challenge will incentivize you to engage your problem-solving skills. This will trigger your imagination, creativity, and resourcefulness. You will be motivated to find a way. If you can’t get through the front door, you will try the back door or a side door. If neither approach works, you will go in through a window, the attic, or the basement.

Many years ago, when I worked in the telecom industry, I found myself in this situation. I was a bit bored with my job and asked my boss for a challenging project. I wanted to test my intellect. I also wanted to show that I could successfully take on difficult problems which would position me for a promotional opportunity in the future. He gave me one of the most challenging Human Resources project assignments in the company at the time. I never managed a project of this scope in the past and the project was in an area where I had limited expertise. It was a big, hairy monster of a challenge.

The project involved more than 100 people and the deadline was 6 weeks away. We had to hit the deadline to achieve the desired cost savings. One week had already passed and the team was struggling without a dedicated project manager.

So how did I deal with this? First, as soon as I was designated project manager, I met with the project sponsors and other key players to understand the project’s goals and the key milestones. After that, I took an inventory of the resources we had on the team and built some structures around it. I designed a project plan and created a structure for getting the work done using functional teams, daily project team meetings, and meetings with key stakeholders a couple times a week. We established clear metrics and adjusted our approaches when we faced roadblocks. Everyone on the team had clear accountabilities and executed their tasks on time. In the end, we far exceeded our cost savings targets.

What did I learn from this?

⭐ Every challenge is doable if you chop it down to size. All challenges have many different moving parts and if you disassemble them and attack one piece at a time in many different sequences, you will solve the problems and may achieve a breakthrough.

⭐ When you are facing a complex challenge, it is helpful to involve people with diverse types of expertise and unique perspectives. Don’t try to become an expert on everything. Instead, tap into the superpowers of others on the team and remove barriers to their success.

Many people prefer to avoid difficult challenges. They look for short cuts or they wait on the sidelines for someone to rescue them from the situation. They avoid the challenge and miss the opportunity to learn and grow.

You will motivate yourself to become a more competent person all around by tackling every challenge you face. You will become known as the problem solver and the monster slayer. You will be rewarded with more challenges and be excited by the opportunity.

If you want to make yourself stand out, volunteer to take on the most difficult challenges. Break the challenge down into manageable parts and attack one piece at a time and utilize the expertise around you. By doing this, you will build your reputation as a leader and a problem-solver, and your confidence will soar as you succeed where most people fail.