Your Perception of The Problem is Your Problem

Your Perception of The Problem is Your Problem

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All right. Welcome back to the Daily Mastermind, George Wright III here with your Monday morning edition of the Mastermind. If this is the first time that you’re listening, make sure you hit subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes. This week we’ve got a full week of five episodes, and I’m excited to share some powerful ideas with you.

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Quote of the Day: Richard Nixon

So let me start you out with the quote of the day. It’s by Richard Nixon: A man is not finished when he’s defeated. He’s finished when he quits. That’s such a great statement because it reminds us that you never truly lose, and you never truly fail—unless you quit.

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Understanding the Real Problem: Perception

Today I want to talk to you about solutions in your life and about finding and creating them. We can’t talk about solutions unless we first talk about the problem. And some of you may not want to hear this, but I believe your real problem isn’t the situation itself—it’s your perception of the problem.

Your perception is often the roadblock keeping you from creating solutions and moving forward. It’s not usually the problem itself that becomes the real struggle. Instead, it’s the meaning you attach to it.

Now, am I saying we don’t have real problems? Of course not. But in order to progress in life and move past obstacles, you need to recognize that perception affects everything. The meaning you attach to any situation dictates where your mind focuses—whether it’s productive, stagnant, or destructive.

So what influences perception?

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Influence of Success and Failure on Perception

Your view of success and failure heavily influences your perception. How you interpret success and how you process failure will determine how you respond to any situation.

Many people grow up believing that failure is inherently bad. Even if it’s at a subconscious level, this belief is one hundred percent wrong. Failure is not a dead end—it’s a stepping stone to success.

When you begin to see failure as a necessary step toward achievement, you stop getting caught up in fear of looking bad or dwelling on mistakes. Instead, you start recognizing failure as part of the process. Viewing failure in a positive light allows you to act and move forward with more confidence.

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Embracing Problems as Growth Opportunities

It’s not only failure you need to reframe. You must also learn to perceive problems as opportunities for growth. At first, that may sound counterintuitive. Problems can be frustrating, overwhelming, and painful. But without them, there would be no push to grow, no resistance to overcome, and no strength developed.

Think about it like working out: if you don’t lift heavy weights, your muscles never grow. The stress and the recovery that follow are what build strength. In life, it’s the same. Your obstacles and trials are the weights that prepare you for the next level of growth.

Unsuccessful people hope for smaller problems, while successful people strive to become bigger than their problems. The question is: which path are you choosing? Do you want fewer problems, or do you want to become stronger and capable of overcoming more?

Wayne Dyer put it perfectly: When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Over time, you’ll look back on the tapestry of your life and realize that what once seemed overwhelming was just part of your journey. Perception shifts with time, and what once felt like an obstacle often becomes the foundation of your growth.

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Starting from Solutions

In order to progress and maintain a stronger mindset, you must learn to start from solutions rather than problems. One of my mentors, Jason Brown, taught me this principle years ago. He said, “I don’t want to deal with the problem. I want to start from a solution.”

When you focus only on the problem, you put yourself in a scarcity mindset. Whether it’s a business challenge, a relationship issue, or even something small like a flat tire, centering on the problem limits your creativity and energy. But when you shift to solutions, your mindset becomes abundant. You’re no longer asking, “Why is this happening?” Instead, you’re asking, “What can I do to move forward?”

This doesn’t mean you’ll never go back and analyze the problem. Of course, there’s a time for reflection. But in the moment, beginning with solutions primes your brain for progress.

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Training Your Mind: The Power of Neuroplasticity

So how do you train your mind to focus on solutions? The answer lies in neuroplasticity. Many people assume that as you get older, it becomes harder to create new habits or rewire your brain. Science has proven otherwise. Neuroplasticity shows us that your brain is capable of forming new neural pathways at any age through repetition, frequency, and consistency.

That means if you consistently catch yourself when your thoughts spiral into negativity and shift instead to solutions, you’ll gradually hardwire this as a natural response. The more often you practice this shift, the more your brain begins to automatically seek solutions rather than dwelling on problems.

It’s not about age or past conditioning—it’s about practice. The repetition of starting from solutions builds a mental muscle that strengthens your resilience, creativity, and ability to handle adversity.

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Focusing on Goals to Overcome Obstacles

Another powerful way to train your mind for solutions is to keep your goals front and center. When challenges arise, it’s easy to get consumed by the immediate frustration. But if your vision and goals are strong enough, they’ll overshadow the obstacles in front of you.

Think about it this way: when your dreams are small, problems feel overwhelming. But when your dreams are massive, problems shrink in comparison. That’s why clarity matters. Having clear goals, affirmations, and a strong vision gives your mind a destination to aim for. With your eyes on the prize, roadblocks become stepping stones instead of walls.

When your goals are crystal clear, the details won’t derail you. You’ll be motivated to push through because the end result is far more valuable than the temporary setback.

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Action Plan: Finding Solutions

This week, I want to challenge you with a practical exercise. Take one area of your life where you’ve been struggling—whether it’s a recurring obstacle, a relationship challenge, or a business roadblock—and sit down with a blank piece of paper. Clear the problem from your mind and write down 10 possible solutions.

If you struggle to come up with 10, it’s a sign you’re too focused on the problem. Force yourself to think outside the box. Even if some ideas seem unrealistic, write them down. The act of brainstorming freely will shift your mindset into creativity and positivity. You’ll be surprised at how much lighter you feel and how many new opportunities open up when you stop fixating on the problem and start generating solutions.

Remember the wisdom of Wayne Dyer: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

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Conclusion and Call to Action

The bottom line is simple: problems will always exist, but it’s your perception of those problems that shapes your reality. When you shift your focus from the issue itself to the solution, you empower yourself to break free from scarcity thinking and move toward abundance. By training your mind through neuroplasticity, by keeping your goals front and center, and by embracing failure as a stepping stone, you transform obstacles into opportunities for growth.

So this week, don’t just acknowledge the problems in your life—flip them into solutions. Sit down, brainstorm, and commit to starting from solution. The more you practice, the more natural it will become, and over time, you’ll rewire your mind to see every challenge as a chance to grow.

If this episode brought value to you, I ask one simple favor: share it with at least one person who could use a fresh perspective. Sometimes all it takes is hearing an idea framed differently for a breakthrough to happen. And as always, remember this truth: it is never too late to start living the life you were meant to live.

This is George Wright III, and you’ve been listening to The Daily Mastermind. Let’s make this week amazing.

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