Did you know you're rewarded for the problems you solve? 

And the bigger the problem you solve, the more money you're able to make.

I'll never forget the time God told me to be a part of the solution and not the problem. 

Whilst I won't go into the detail of what was going on because it involved other people, I was asked to join a team and God said "no." I actually didn't want to join the team anyway but I asked God why He vehemently said no and this was when He explained that He needed me to be a part of the solution, but being in the team I wouldn't feel comfortable saying what He needed me to say.

I was partnering with God to solve a problem and whilst there was no direct monetary reward at the time, I did benefit from it monetarily months later.

Dr Myles Munroe said it best...

"Find problems you're able to solve and then solve them... Don't look for money, look for a problem to solve. You get paid for the problems you solve. "

So just to be clear, Dr Myles isn't saying not to make money, he's saying that when you find the problem you're going to solve, you can get paid to solve that problem. 

We're not money shy around here! Just so you know.

So How Do You Identify Problems To Solve?

I could give you a list of ways, but let's begin with the most practical...

What problems have you solved in your own life or in someone else's?

Often, the very things we take for granted are the very things other people would pay good money to know. In other words, we undervalue our life experiences. And when we undervalue our experiences, we undervalue our skills which results in us undervaluing our gift and our voice. 

If you've lost weight without starving yourself or using fad diets that make you want to eat the entire candy store after a few weeks, share how you did it with others. 

If you've solved the problem of attracting clients online, show other people how you overcame your frustrations. Teach them how you went from zero clients to getting clients like clockwork.

It was frustration that lead me to start building my own sites back in 2004, which eventually resulted in me becoming a business coach. 

As Brendon Burchard once said, you only have to be a few steps ahead of someone else to be able to teach them what you know. So there is no need to feel you have to be the Encyclopedia on the subject matter.

One caveat I want to make about solving problems based on your own experience...

Ensure The Problem You're Going To Solve Is Something You're Happy To Talk About 

In his book, Secrets of The Millionaire Mind, T Harv Eker shared a story of a lady who had built her business around bereavement coaching. Why? Because having witnessed her brother take his own life, her coach thought it was a great idea for her to build her coaching business helping others who had been bereaved.  

The only trouble was, every time this lady coached someone who had been bereaved, it bought back bad memories of what she witnessed that day when her brother took his life. She loved those she coached, but hated her business. 

Thank goodness, T Harv Eker coached her out of that business and into one that she truly loved. 

So yes, look for problems you've solved or overcome in yours or someone else's life, but...

Run A Mile If Solving That Problem For Others Is Going To Make You Miserable!

I once coached someone who was going through a divorce. It was rewarding but whilst the results were good, I personally found it emotionally draining. I've never been divorced, have no intentions of getting divorced, but this person reached out to me as I was just beginning to build my Life Coaching practice. 

I don't advertise the life coaching aspect of my business because for me, the life coaching element forms a natural part of what I do as a business coach. If someone isn't showing up as the best version of them, or they're having issues in their personal life, we work through it. But my safety net is that I can use their business to keep them focused on something other than their personal circumstances. 

Changing Perspectives

When my Grandmother, with whom I was raised, was murdered I was just 15 years old and at 16, I started sharing my story. However, when I learned about storytelling as a business coach, I began to use the same story to shift perspectives without feeling I had to do a Hollywood rendition of the event. 

You see, I went back to what I did to overcome my Grandmother's death and focused on those elements to help others navigate whatever life situation they were facing.

The one big thing I did as a 15 year old that I know was responsible for helping me overcome this tragedy, was that I chose to keep looking forward.

I remember either going or coming from school and I just kept telling myself, "Mummy (that's what I called her) wouldn't want me to stay miserable." And the other thing I did was I visualised what my life would be like in the future.

First, I had to get over the funeral. So I visualised what it would be like after the funeral. I knew it would be hard, but I kid you not, I never anticipated how hard that would be. Jamaicans are really good at supporting each other through death - especially leading up to the funeral - but afterwards, everyone goes back to their own lives and I have never felt so lonely. 

The Monday after the funeral, I went back to school and every time I felt the pain of my Grandmother's loss, I would ask myself what the next year, 5 years, 10 years would look like. I imagined myself enjoying life, laughing, working and living life to the fullest.

And I need to tell you, I knew nothing about visualisation, the power of the imagination, mindset or anything like that back then. But I now realise how good my Grandmother was at painting a picture of our future. She would always encourage us to make the most of opportunities without stepping on other people to get to the top. "Thank you mummy." 

What Problem Will You Take Responsibility For?

I love this image created by Russell Brunson about entrepreneurs solving problems...

So... what is your problem? 

What problem will you take responsibility for solving? If you're still struggling to find your niche, identifying the problem you will solve is your best starting point. 

All movements are born out of someone being passionate about solving a problem. Your turn.

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