derek hubbard

There are no problems. There are no challenges.

This may sound naive and immature at first, but it’s true. There are no problems. And there are no challenges.

The words problems and challenges are soft, and somewhat negative. Looking at the events in our daily lives as problems and challenges comes from a place of fear. When we are afraid of an event - maybe we have an upcoming exam, or an looming presentation at a conference - and we look at these events as problems or challenges - we generate a lot of angst and anxiety at the same time.

Instead, we should look at events in our lives as opportunities. The word opportunity - defined as “a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something” - is a much stronger, more forward-looking word. And if we look at events and interactions in our daily lives as opportunities instead of problems or challenges, our experience of that event will be markedly different. Although the outcome of the event itself may not change, our experience of and response to the event will.

This idea is the premise of the first chapter in a book titled “Energy Leadership” by Bruce D. Schneider. This book, which was a Christmas gift from the management team at POMIET, is next up on my reading list for this year and I’m looking forward to diving in more.

So to wrap up, as Bruce states in the first chapter of his book:

“Life offers neither problems nor challenges, only opportunities.”

With that in mind, I’m off to find my next opportunity.