Personal Growth: How To Grow Bigger Than Your Problems

Personal growth is only possible once you realize you are bigger than your problems. Learn how to tackle each obstacle one day at a time.

The Path To Personal Growth And Tackling Challenges

If you think having more money means you’ll have fewer problems, then think twice about wanting to be a millionaire. Problems and obstacles don’t stop, you just get a new set of them.

Wealth and poverty aren’t distinguishable when it comes to problems, or, as I like to think of them, challenges. There are times when challenges are considerate, significant, and maybe even scary, and there are other times when we’re really just making a mountain out of a molehill.

Whether it’s overcoming a mountain of debt or making tough investment choices, it could seem daunting to take on these decisions and commit to following through toward personal growth.

Really, though, we all need to thank our lucky stars for mountains that seem to be in our way. Why, because I’m a glutton for punishment? No, because personally it was the only way for me to find out for myself one of the most important ideas most millionaires share in common: you have to be bigger than any problem you can ever face.

In other words, you have to think big! That’s so easy to hear, and nod your head, and say, “Well, yeah, of course.” Understanding it, knowing it, and living it, though, are different.

The truth is few people “think” big and even fewer “play” big. Why? Because “big” often means big responsibilities, big hassles and big problems. They look at that “bigness” and shrink rather than considering the possibilities for personal growth. They’re smaller than their problems. They back away from challenges. Ironically, they back themselves into the biggest problem of all … being broke, or close to it.

 

The Secret To Personal Growth And Success: Grow Yourself Bigger Than Your Problems

Imagine a “Level 2” person looking at a “Level 5” problem. Does this problem appear to be big or small? From a Level 2 perspective, a Level 5 problem would seem HUGE. How would it look to, say, a “Level 8” person? The same problem would seem small. To a “Level 10” person? NO problem at all. It’s just an everyday occurrence, like brushing your teeth.

It’s not a special skill that separates rich from poor, but a simple yet profound understanding—if you’re breathing, you will always have situations that aren’t perfect. Therefore, the size of the problem is never the problem. It’s always the size of you and whether or not you want to commit to personal growth!


If you can handle bigger problems, you can handle:

  • More customers
  • Bigger business 
  • Greater responsibilities
  • More money
  • Greater wealth

Your income can only grow to the extent that you commit to your own personal growth!

Exercise: Grow Yourself Bigger

  1. Commit to growing yourself:
    • Do not avoid problems
    • Do not complain about problems
    • Don’t let them bother you.
    • Refer to them as “challenges” or “situations”
  2. Let go of the emotion and drama you create when you don’t get what you want.
  3. Learn to stay present and handle one situation at a time with an open mind and an open heart.
  4. Trust yourself and in the universe that everything will work out in the end.

I want to hear from you, so make sure you leave a comment and tell me your thoughts on personal growth so you can handle bigger problems.

This article has been updated for relevancy and accuracy. It’s original publish date was 02/06/10.