“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill, former UK Prime Minister

Sarah Breedlove—better known as Madam C.J. Walker—had a rocky start on her way to

becoming the first self-made female millionaire in the United States.

Born from former slaves and orphaned at just age seven, she had to fight her way out of poverty while managing a series of failed marriages and taking care of her only daughter, A’Lelia Walker.

A regular person would have given up, but Sarah was made of stronger stuff.

Suffering from hair loss and financial challenges beyond belief, she grabbed on to the opportunity to transform her life through hair products designed specifically for African American women.

Through her optimistic mentality and innovative spirit, Sarah’s business expanded beyond anyone’s expectations at the time. Her wealth grew to the point where she could provide for her own livelihood, contribute to various political causes, build a fortune, and donate a sizeable portion to charities and schools.

The success story of Sarah Breedlove demonstrates why we should change our perspectives about the problems we are facing. Rather than treating them as obstacles, Sarah had always tried to turn her personal and business difficulties into opportunities to improve and achieve her ultimate goals as a mother, wife, and entrepreneur.

Embracing this kind of mindset requires some recalibration – as many of us seem to be hardwired to take problems at their face value.

When we fail to see beyond the disguises, we end up missing out on the opportunities before us.

In this article, let us show you how we can shift our perceptions for the better and follow through with our commitment to growth and happiness.

The Value of Problems in Our Lives

Problems are normal and inevitable parts of our existence. But most of the time, we don’t want to welcome or even acknowledge them -mbecause we only see problems in a negative light.

If Sarah Breedlove had the same kind of beliefs, she wouldn’t have braved through the unknown as a teen just to escape an abusive household. Madam C.J. Walker would have never taken off as a cosmetics and haircare business because she was too focused on her itchy scalp and falling hair. Rather than dwell in her misfortunes and limitations, Sarah made deliberate actions to change her fate and begin her journey to a better life.

Our problems may not be as dramatic as Sarah’s. But that doesn’t mean adopting this mentality will not be just as transformative for us.

Suppose we can stop focusing on the negativity brought about by a problem.

In that case, we will have enough energy and time to examine the situation and recognize the opportunities that await us.

Since we can’t have a problem-free life, the next best option is to start a cycle of optimism and creativity that will keep us moving forward, no matter how heavy our burdens are.

Chain Reactions vs. Conscious Decisions

Suppose you’re on your way to work when a minor collision between two cars causes sudden heavy traffic on the road you are taking.

What do you think will be your initial reaction?

 “I’m going to be late.”

If that’s your first thought, then you have started a chain reaction that will prevent or delay you from thinking of a probable solution.

You would likely imagine how many customers you might miss – or how your employees or colleagues might think of your late arrival.

Rather than going down this self-defeating path, stop yourself as soon as you can.

That may be easier said than done.

However, by making an effort to just look at the problem itself, you will distance yourself from the issue and gain an objective view of the situation.

If you could take a step back, you may discover how the problem is disguising an opportunity. Doing so widens your gaze and frees your judgment from self-centric impulses.

The origin of Madam C.J. Walker is an excellent role model for this scenario.

If Sarah had focused only on her hair kiss issues, she might have been too preoccupied with complaining about her problem or looking for a solution that would work for her.

However, she had made a conscious effort to figure out her difficulty – and thrive on the opportunity to solve it.

Sarah figured out that the hair care industry at the time had been largely ignoring the needs and plight of African American women.

Given her experience in selling hair products and her personal experience, she had set her sights on much loftier goals: taking a piece of the proverbial pie through a brand of her own.

How to Turn Problems into Opportunities in 3 steps

You’ve probably heard optimistic yet cliché sayings about making lemonade out of lemons or finding silver linings.

But they’re clichés for a reason.

You really do have the choice to look for opportunities even in the most unlikely of places.

To help you embrace this proactive mentality, here is a three-step process that you should consider practising to enjoy a happier personal life and establish a successful business:

Step #1: Define the problem

As we have discussed earlier, focus on the problem at hand first.

Refrain from thinking of its probable impacts or the reactions it will draw from others.

Analyse its root cause by asking a series of “why”’s until you have reached the most likely reason behind it.

We suggest writing down your thoughts at this point so you can refer to them as you go through the following steps. 

For example – let’s say your first attempt at starting your business has failed.  What do you do? Ask yourself:

Why did it fail?

You believe it’s because of poor timing. You joined the market far too late that it has already become too saturated.

Why were you late?

You hesitated because you didn’t truly believe in the product. However, you saw how well other entrepreneurs have been doing, so you decided to go for it, too.

Why didn’t you believe in the product?

You think you have a better alternative for the current popular choice in the market. Unfortunately, you didn’t have the guts to pursue it.

Why didn’t you go with your guts?

You have never been a risk-taker. Only if you are adequately confident would you go ahead with a plan.

And there you have it.

The business failed for various reasons that can ultimately be traced back to the lack of a solid business plan.

You would have been more confident about your ideas if only you had backed them up with market data and analysis.

Step #2: Identify your goal

When you have a deeper understanding of the problem, shift your gears to thinking about what it would be like if you had solved the problem.

Going back to our example earlier, think about whether you want to try again and pursue your goal of becoming a successful entrepreneur or if you wish to become something else entirely.

Visualise yourself at your best state. Which path had you taken to get there? 

By knowing the direction you wish to take, you can move forward with stronger conviction and a sense of purpose.

Step #3: Look for opportunities

Some people think of certain problems as “blessings in disguise” – because we tend to overlook how something so terrible could also be a source of our happiness in the long run.

Let’s say that you have decided to take another shot at being a well-respected business owner.

The experience you have gained from this failure may be the key to success on your second try.

Examine the different aspects of your former business, and note the areas where you could further improve.

Analyse the market, and look for gaps you could fill in with your product or services.

Don’t forget to consider the available resources that you still have now.

Consolidate all the essential bits of information into a business plan that reflects your renewed passion and determination.

Take ownership of your ideas this time, and stay focused on your goal rather than needlessly comparing yourself to others.

Develop an Opportunity-Seeking Mindset

It takes a calm yet decisive approach to find and capitalise on the opportunities that problems present.

Accepting that we all go through rough patches can help you gain a new perspective about the difficulties in your life.

Through this more profound understanding of our reality, we would also realise that a good opportunity isn’t just handed to us by luck or coincidence.

Instead, successful people such as Sarah Breedlove have transformed an awful situation into a chance to change their lives for the better.

Remember, the choice is in your hands. Problems will always be around the corner, so you can either let them rule over you or tap them as a catalyst for limitless possibilities.

Are you going through a difficulty in your personal life or business? What opportunities do you think you could obtain from it?

Feel free to share your thoughts by reaching out to me directly.

Renee’s insight:

Some days I get overwhelmed. As a business owner, I’ll be the first to admit that everything feels like it’s falling apart – at least three days a week, anyway.

But I’ve noticed that when I’m faced with something I perceive as a problem, I complain too much. I don’t take responsibility. I don’t learn, and I don’t develop.

The irony is this.

As a CEO of company dedicated on growing businesses, I’m supposed to be the expert in providing structure and processes for my clients. I’m supposed to build systems where people don’t feel overwhelmed.

So it’s really important I look at the stress I feel as an opportunity to learn and grow.

By tackling my own pain, I can create a smoother, cleaner and more automated process where possible – and resolve my clients’ pain.