Have you noticed how challenging things seem these days?

We have an economy that is less than stable, and recently we have been seeing wild fluctuations in the stock market with the value of the dollar plunging internationally. Within our own borders, we’ve seen some plummeting real estate values, and a mortgage situation that’s currently being described as a national crisis. Along with this we have rising oil prices with seemly no end in sight. And yet there's more, lot's more. We seem to be facing a never-ending series of problems in the Middle East, and the threats of terrorism that manifested themselves on 9/11 don't seem to be going away or getting any better. So it’s not just challenges in the world of economics. There seem to be challenges everywhere you look.

There are plenty of political and social challenges fighting for our attention but that's still just scratching the surface. How about the many environmental issues we hear about on an almost daily basis? Scientists are continuing to make dire predictions about things such as Global Warming and other environmental issues that could lead to serious consequences. And regardless of your position on these issues, we would all have to admit that we are adding more pollution to the planet than the world has ever seen. The size and scope of some of these problems are enormous. Surely, there is someone coming to the rescue, yes? We are right in the middle of one of the most interesting presidential elections we have seen in modern times but can we really count on any of the candidates to fix these and other problems or will they just create more problems as we’ve so often seen in the past?

So what do you do about all of this? Even if these challenges don’t get your attention, I’m willing to bet that you have any number of personal obstacles standing between you and your goals. You are undoubtedly engaged in the process of making your life better and that always involves a long list of challenges.

So the question is how do you handle challenges?

Is it time to crawl under the blanket and just wish the problems would go away? You already know my answer.

Basically, there are only two choices. One is to get discouraged by the mountain of problems that face us and allow our confidence to wane. This is never the right choice. This will cause us to shrink, not grow.

The other option is to approach the future with unshakable confidence and the belief that we will find solutions. You might not know what the solutions are but you can believe that they are there.

Isn’t it interesting that we always find a way? Think back to past problems you have overcome personally. If you are honest with yourself, you have to admit that you’ve triumphed over some onerous obstacles. You’ve overcome many major challenges in your life. Isn’t that true? And haven’t we always found a way through difficult times both nationally and internationally even in the face of what seemed like insurmountable challenges? One of the best ways to build confidence for the future is to think about the problems we’ve already faced and overcome in the past. We’ve triumphed before, and we can triumph again.

The fact of the matter is that our world has been in peril for a long time. Some would even say it’s always been in peril but maybe it is more intense these days. Let’s face it, we have the power to blow ourselves up with the push of a few buttons. That hasn’t always been the case on planet earth. What’s worse is that we have many people on the planet who actually believe that pushing a few of those buttons would be a good idea. If that’s not a challenge then I don’t know what is.

But here’s a way to keep your confidence level high in the face of such challenges. Think about the fact that we’ve overcome difficulties before and we can do it again. I sometimes say to my clients that the bigger the problem, the bigger than hero that’s needed. I think we all have the power to be heroes, and I believe that winning at the game of life requires being heroic. I think a hero is someone who is willing to face a challenge head on with unstoppable confidence. It doesn’t mean you blindly charge ahead without a plan and some honest concern. It just means that you don’t let a challenge stop you. It always seems easier to back away from a challenge but deep down we all know that’s not the case. It is only by stepping into the unknown with courage and conviction that we grow and become more. You have to get out of your comfort zone to grow.

So when you hear all of the bad news about the world falling apart or you think about your own personal challenges and problems, think about this:

We are bigger than anything that could ever happen to us. We have the power and ability to overcome the challenges that might try to block us from our destiny. Sure, I can’t prove to you that those statements are true, but I choose to believe them. In fact, I think it takes a great deal of confidence in the future to believe them. But after all, confidence is the single greatest skill that we can foster and develop. So enjoy the present with the unshakeable conviction that the future can be better than the past if we have the confidence to make it that way.