Blogs

One of the best ways to be effective in accomplishing our greatest desires in life is to ask ourselves the very potent question, "What problem am I solving?" It's a question that all new entrepreneurs will need to answer before taking the plunge into launching a venture. But it is also a question that we need to ask ourselves as we approach each new project, large or small. It's a question we should ask of ourselves everyday if we hope to remain relevant and innovative. It is a critical question. It very frequently spells the difference between success and failure in a new venture. It's pretty much the same thing as it relates to the broader picture - life itself.

Am I making a mountain out of a mole-hill here? Is this much ado about nothing? Not at all! The fact is...the quality of the rewards life throws at us will depend largely on the kinds of problems we solve for others.  And note well - it's the problems we solve for others (not ourselves) that make the difference. The truth is, successful businesses do not simply meet a need in the market. They solve a problem that either causes pain or prevents gain to customers. Whatever it is, it is significant enough to cause people to want to pay to solve that problem. So as new entrepreneurs it is worth recognizing that it is only as we extend ourselves beyond our own immediate problems, needs and insufficiencies and seek to provide solutions for the problems that appear around us that we begin to impact our world and find our own place in the stars. 

So how about us changing our focus from "what problems is my business facing?" to "what problems am I solving?" and "for whom am I solving them?" It is as we give time to finding solutions that other people value that we experience our greatest levels of effectiveness. Tried and proven! Seasoned entrepreneurs know that if a product or service doesn't solve a problem, fill a gap or soothe a pain then its chance of doing well in the market is next to none. They have learnt to see problems as opportunities to learn, grow and venture into something new and profitable. Master motivator, Zig Ziglar is known to have said "You can have everything in life you want if you just help enough other people get what they want." Simply put, your (or your business’) success is tightly bound to your ability to solve a problem that enough people care about. Seems a paradox, but it's true. 

So my challenge to you if your business hasn’t experienced much growth over the years is this - find a problem to solve; one that is significant enough to increase your market size; one important enough to sustain the interest of your customers you’re your own personal impact. You will need to take an objective look at your capabilities and resources. It will take some of your time, some research and a whole lot of effort. It may even require you to move outside your comfort zone but if you train yourself to look for opportunities to problem solve, you are guaranteed to increase not only your business bottom-line but your personal effectiveness.