Problems : Deal with it.. or, run!

There are three ways to deal with a problem, I think.

* Lean into it.
* Lean away from it.
* Run away.

You lean /into/ a problem, especially a long-term or difficult one, by
sitting with it, reveling in it, embracing it and breathing it in. The
problem becomes part of you, at least until you solve it. You try one
approach and then another, and when nothing works, you stick with it and
work around it as you build your organization and your life.

Some people choose to lean /away/ from the problems that nag them at
home or at work. They avoid them, minimize them or criticize the cause.
Put as little into it as possible and maybe it will go away.

And sometimes, a problem is so nasty or overwhelming that you just run away.

I'm a big fan of the first approach. And sometimes, quitting isn't such
a bad idea. The second approach, alas, is the one that many of us end up
with by default, and the one that's least likely to pay off.

If that helps with this year's resolutions, it was worth thinking about...

Seth Godin