Do not run from problems, chase solutions

Don't wish it was easier; wish you were better. Don't wish for less problems; wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenges; wish for more wisdom."
~ Jim Rohn


Personal Story:
Whenever a large fire happens, we are taught to search for the nearest escape. It will allow you to make it out safe with minimal damage done to you as an individual. However, not all fires are large enough to run away from. We may still have the opportunity to put the fire out. Damage may still be present in some areas but you were able to fight the flames and you survived. 

In the past, I found myself frantically looking for an exit whenever I was uncomfortable or problems arose (the fire). I did not like the position I was in, and my "solution" was to find a way out so that I wouldn't have to deal with the heat anymore. The issue with this "strategy" is that I was never able to become mentally stronger for the next battle. If my brakes were sounding funny, I got a new car. If I felt a little uncomfortable at work, I got a new job. I could give many examples of times I allowed feeling a little uneasy uproot me. I could even say that sometimes, my move seemed to be for the better....until an issue arose. In the end, running away does not allow me to become stronger and learn to fight the flames better.


Lesson:
When times are tough, it's natural to wish they were easier.  Whether you're sending out countless resumes, dealing with a problematic relationship, facing business challenges, or struggling to pay the bills, it's easy to just wish those problems would go away, right?  Problems be gone!
Those wishes are natural.  But useful?  Not so much!

On the other hand, if you flip it around, and wish you were better, stronger, and more capable - that gives you something you can work with.  You can actually develop your skills, educate your mind, and build your strength.  Improving yourself in this way can help you get through the current set of problems, and also improve your ability to deal with other things after that.
Here are a few positive outcomes we can gain from our challenges:

Expand knowledge and learn practical skills

Take time to read. I have recently picked up reading physical books as a hobby. I have learned so much and grew my vocabulary. Growing up, I never listed reading as a hobby because I thought they always meant hardcover books. I realize now that I have always loved reading. I would spend hours on Wikipedia and more hours searching the internet for more information. Use your smartphone (supercomputer) to your advantage by reading more about topics that interest you or could improve your life in some way.

Develop new perspectives, lateral thinking, and creative solutions

When our standard approach isn't working, it forces us to search for alternatives.  This can lead to new perspectives and imaginative approaches we would never have thought of otherwise.

Continual growth

Challenges force us to grow and change, while a lack of challenges doesn't. If everything is peachy keen, we can get lazy, assuming that things will continue to run along fine the way they are.  How much progress would we make in our lives if we never had problems?  How much would we learn if everything we tried worked perfectly the first time?

Intangibles

Dealing with problems can teach us resiliency, flexibility, adaptability, self-reliance, and equanimity. The normal ways of dealing with things may not work anymore, and trying to rigidly stick to the way we've always done things is not going to get us where we need to go. When you have to adapt, you do.

Confidence

It may seem odd that problems breed confidence, but it can work that way. Overcoming challenges give us confidence that we will be able to overcome other challenges in the future.  The next time a similar situation occurs, we see it from a different perspective - "I've dealt with things like this before".  We know that we will get through this, we will survive, we will grow and learn from it, and we will be happier and wiser in the future.

Viewed like this, we can be grateful for the problems that come our way.  Or if not really grateful, at least we can recognize the silver lining. We can use these challenges to develop our own strengths and abilities.  We can gain a long-term benefit from a short-term problem.

So don't wish for less challenges; wish for more wisdom.