17 Reasons Your Problems Are a Good Thing

I am loving these list posts. You are truly one of the best bloggers around. Your style of writing is so unique, no wonder why your blog is popular. You write about the truth’s of life and that is what I love. Your not over here trying to impress anyone, you are just you… and thats awesome. Keep it up. I look forward to your posts.

Hey Chris,
Each point struck home for me.
You see, as I type this it’s 5am on a Sunday. I am waiting for panadol to kick in as I can’t sleep. The reason is that having had open heart surgery 30 days ago, my sternum was cut and pulled open for 4 hours. All this so the surgeon could get his hands in.
After that they wire your sternum back again and stitch you up.
I explain this as a precursor to my real point. I’ve never been happier.
The peace of mind is not because of the extension to my lifespan I’ve been given.
It’s the perspective I’ve been given.
So yes, your difficulties transport you to the next level in life. They are an elevator to the next floor that has a better view.
And the view is pretty good from where I sit in the darkness waiting for the Panadol to keep him.
Life is good.

Oops – instead of ‘keep him’ read ‘kick in’.
But the auto correct made me think.
Sean

Great Article Chris, you know sometimes you gotta go through the fire to burn off all the crap that’s clinging to your life, and come out a better man.

Take care brother
Daniel

I cant remember how I stumbled on to your site, but I’ve been receiving your emails and following you for awhile now. This was a great post, and one I can so relate to. Every one of the 17 items hit home for me. I’m lying in bed getting ready for my day and find myself reminiscing. I’ve been married three times, twice to the same woman. I made millions and lost all of it plus another $600K. I have four years of probation left and $200K of restitution to pay on a crime I did not commit (repercussions from wife number three). My airplane went down in the Strawberry mountains some years ago and exploded on impact. I suffered 3rd and 4th degree burns over 75% of my body along with other injuries. It laid me up for 6 1/2 years while I endured 33 surgeries and endless physical therapy. As I lay here in bed, scarred and bent from head to toe, typing with crippled hands, broke and hundred of thousands of dollars in debt, I read your blog post and reflected on this thing called life. I sort of chuckled, and found myself saying “is that all you’ve got? That’s your best shot?… HA! Let’s see what else you can find to throw at me!” I have one son who is 26 years old. He’s just starting his adult life and is already suffering from his own poor decisions as well as dealing with a few things that landed in his lap just because. He is my inspiration and my reason for living. I want him to see me punching and swinging, holding my head high as I continue to do battle with life. If I’m able to get out of this mess remains to be seen. As it stands though, it’s a great opportunity to show my son that you always keep swinging and never say die. Thanks for the post. It made me think. was a great read, and an encouragement to me as I start my day.

Big Chris,
I dig how You speak the Truth, Kick My Azz, and freakin’ Motivate the crap outta me simultaneously, Bro!

Keep on writing, Chris. You are a continuing inspiration for me and my own blog/life rantings, mi Amigo!

Respect.
-A.D. Christian

Wow. that video on Liberia was heavy. I didn’t intend to watch the whole thing but Ii got completely sucked in. Thanks again for sharing your heart!

Like it?… I LOVE IT! Awesome stuff Chris, reading your stuff always get’s me pumped… Thanks for sharing 🙂

I love your posts. They consistently inspire me. You write how I think. I know when I open a post of yours that something amazing is coming my way. Never stop. You are doing what you were meant to do. Now, I must go share this…

Man Chris I NEVER ever get tired of that quote from Rocky.

I still get chills when I watch that scene. It’s one of the biggest truths in life.

BTW…is that your scar in the photo? Yeouch!

One of the best articles I have ever read!
Thank you Chris for giving a slap in our face and start taking live by the horns and keep getting up stronger than ever.
Take care!

You know, I run a million dollar Strength & Conditioning Facility. Better yet, I run my own business. I have a beautiful wife and two kids. I am back in church. I’m about to build and own my own home and be debt free.

All my hard work finally paid off.

Suddenly, it was all too good to be true. So, it became no more. Reality kicked in and slapped me in the face. Let’s just say, I don’t have everything mentioned above anymore.

You can’t have everything in life though. Smooth waters are just the quiet before the storm. I couldn’t be happier though. I have what matters most.

The rest was just extra. Everything has a time and a place. Problems make you stronger. I went through some problems to build that picture perfect picture. Then, more problems came. I thought the story was pretty amazing where I left off at the top. But, this is not a fairy tale and this is not a happy ending.

You would be amazed if you knew what the future had in store for me. You would be amazed if you knew what was in store for you too. But knowing takes the joy of surprise out of life.

Soon as I read the post title, I was waiting for #17. My story is what’s made me so successful and it’s what allows others to feel empathy and relate to me so well (and me to them!)

As always, I LOVE reading your posts.

Your words are helping me from going under…..thank you

X

“There has never yet been a man in our history who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Sounds like you and he had a bit in common…

SP

I feel turbo charged and inspired after reading this. I’m going to share it with as many people as I can. Thank you Chris, I love reading your stuff.

Great post agai . You’re as real as it gets

AWESOME article – much better than the previous ones because of the more organized content and the images. Big congrats!

Also it would be great if you would implement Facebook comments – to avoid introducing my data.

I’m here to support you and your message. Big up for you, brotha’!

Hi Chris,
This blog post couldn’t have been at a better time. I have been through a lot with my business in the last 5 – 6 months. I feel like a complete idiot now after reading some of the other comments. My “problems” are really not that bad. So what if I almost lost my business, I can always rebuild and kick ass. Thanks again for your very blunt posts. I need to read this kind of stuff to keep me in line.
Rae Anne

“as we take our beatings and chalk up our losses, we are offered chances to either grow and become stronger, or to wither and die.” I love this quote, it is so true. Thanks for putting things into perspective, we deal with many problems, challenges and defeats in our lives, but If we change our mentality to the thinking that what doesn’t kills us makes us stronger we can take all this adversity in our stride and maybe even embrace and seek the things that make us stronger, sharper better people.

“That which fights us makes us stronger” Thanks for speaking the truth yet again, this post like your others, is something that will help get my mind in the right place when I start to get bummed out about some bad thing that has happened to me. Again you have revealed your amazing insight and ability to see the bigger picture in life, and I am very grateful you are continuing to share your priceless knowledge with us.

You really have a way of touching one’s life. Probably it is due to the fact that you’ve gone through all of it, learned your lessons, realized what really matters in life and now you are on a mission to spread it! 😉 Great post as always!

Ines

Reading this article brought tears to my eyes. Finally, I am thinking….Chris is someone down to earth, who speaks a language I understand. I have read many books and articles on the internet and have listened to my therapist on theories about trauma, shame, depression, anxiety, fear, repressed feelings, psyco-babble, etc. And I have tried to apply these theories and suggestions. Some have helped a little..some have left be feeling worse, hopeless, like I am damaged goods.

But reading your articles and reading the comments of others really gives me a true sense and belief that I am not alone….we are in it together. I gain strength and a sense of pride from it. I have faults, I have made mistakes and still do, I fear, I fall down and sometimes stay there or sometimes get up (it depends on how I am feeling), I am struggling, ……..I am human. You and others here give me inspiration.

“So often time it happens, we all live our life in chains, and we never even know we have the key.”
~The Eagles, “Already Gone”

More great stuff…. thanks

Awesome post. I’ve done a lot of thinking along the lines of #8. Such a good point. I even wrote a post about it. An example I used was along the lines of “Would you play super mario if you encountered no obstacles and just walked to the right the whole time?”

Good stuff man. I’m glad I read this before starting the week.

Thanks.

-Stevie P

Well said… and I think I will share it

Hello Chris,
On the 23rd of May I celebrate my 12th lifeday or “glad to be alive day”. May 23rd ’91 I was hit by a truck while riding my bicycle. My back was broken, I had lots of injuries, and looked like I’d been about beaten to death. But my brain took the worst of it. I was a fireman then, and I dealt with the physical pain pretty well but the way my brain was functioning was really bad. After the first month I started realizing how deep a pit I was in and how much a mess my mind was. I stuttered, couldn’t speak clearly because I couldn’t think clearly. Part of my brain healed faster but that was the part that realized how slow I had become and then I got really scared. Since I couldn’t stay scared I got mad, and the mad got dark. I was driven by my friends to Dr. appointments when I got out of the hospital because I couldn’t drive and to look outside looked like the world, and all the cars were going super fast forward like in the movies. I had to learn how to talk again, how to do math. I had nerve damage in my face and I would chew through the inside of my mouth when I ate and I would bleed on my plate of food. I was so embarrassed and scared. I kept fighting and trying to get strong again. I loved to ride my bike and I didn’t want to admit defeat so one day I got on my bike and rode into the street. The world spun, I nearly threw up and I put both feet on the ground. I walked back to the garage…
I put my bike in the trainer, drew a big black dot on the garage wall, got on my bike, stared at the dot and rode.
Over time I got stronger, my back healed, I started doing everything I could do to get better. My mind started to clear, and I could speak like I always had. 6 months after my accident I came back to work at the fire department. I resumed being a paramedic, and the next year I was promoted.
I was in a lot of physical pain but I never had the fear from when my brain was a mess.
I worked hard, I think I was also lucky, and I think I was really blessed.
Your not supposed to live when a Ford Expedition hits you when it’s dong 40mph.
Today I’m a retired fireman. Loving my wife and daughter every day. Lot’s of struggles, some really big ones too. But it’s alright.
It’s gonna be fine…

Read this again and had another thought…

At the very, very least, problems in life give us experience, and you know what you can trade experience for? Damn right…INCOME. Experience is one of the most marketable things in existence. USE IT!

Thank you again Chris! I needed this today as a reminder

I just came across your site recently from a friend who shared it on Facebook and I must say that I love it. Real talk. I wish I would’ve come across it sooner, but never the less, your words are inspiring and I cant get enough. Thanks Chris!

I used to think the universe was against me, then I realized it was trying to teach me things I wasn’t paying attention to. Don’t beat yourself up over the mistakes, but reflect on the lessons they teach you. This is a great blog. Its a handbook for BS free living.

“The world breaks everyone and afterword some are strong at the broken places.” – Hemingway

Major points for mentioning one of my favorite actors (and a decent guy) RD, Jr.

Oh….. and the post itself was pretty awesome, too. 🙂

id rather be a dick with no problems and if i have to be mortal i would like to have painless quick death or better yet orgasmic one :), obviously best is not to exist at all because nothing can shit in your face