#8 | Are You Seeing a Problem or a Situation?
Take a moment to think about how you see the challenges in your life. When something doesn't go as planned, do you see it as a problem—a dead end? Or do you see it as a situation—something to work with, something to improve, something to understand?
The distinction is subtle but powerful.
The Wright Brothers: A Story of Perspective
Let’s go back to one of the most iconic stories of innovation: the invention of the airplane by the Wright brothers.
In 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright made the world’s first powered flight. It was short—just 12 seconds—but it changed human history forever.
And yet… for five years, hardly anyone believed them.
In 1905, when their Flyer was capable of sustained flight, they invited the U.S. government to witness a demonstration. The government sent someone—but due to bad weather and poor timing, no flight was seen. The conclusion? “Flight isn’t possible.”
They saw a problem. They walked away.
But the Wright brothers? They didn’t stop. They didn’t see a problem—they saw a situation. And they kept working to improve it.
In 1908, the Wright brothers flew their aircraft publicly at a ship festival in France. Thousands of people watched in awe. Reporters were in tears. The impossible had become reality.
Why? Because they never treated the challenge as a final obstacle. They treated it as a situation to work through.
The Power of Perspective
This isn't just about airplanes. It’s about how we interpret the things we encounter daily.
A problem feels heavy, final, discouraging.
A situation feels active, flexible, solvable.
Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” That’s not a mindset of someone stuck in problems. That’s someone who sees situations worth learning from.
Great inventors, creators, artists, and leaders throughout history have all shared this mindset. They didn’t see failure as failure. They saw feedback. They didn’t see obstacles as blocks. They saw puzzles.
Stuck or Growing?
Think about your own life. Are you experiencing problems, or are you facing situations?
When you see a problem, you tend to stop. You wait. You complain. You feel stuck.
But when you see a situation, you investigate. You learn. You adapt. You grow.
Growth comes from facing challenges head-on, not avoiding them. It comes from asking, “What can I learn from this?”rather than, “Why is this happening to me?”
Reflection: What Are You Experiencing?
Every day, life gives you the chance to choose how you see the world.
So ask yourself:
“Am I seeing this as a problem—or a situation?”
Because that one question can change your direction completely.
Final Thought
The Wright brothers didn’t invent flight in a vacuum. They faced doubt, rejection, and disbelief. But their success wasn’t just in their engineering—it was in their mindset.
Let this be your reminder: every time you call something a “problem,” pause. Rethink it. Reframe it.
You might just be looking at the beginning of something great.
Remember because of this situation we get to vacation all over the world!!