The day before my inauguration President Eisenhower told me, “You’ll find that no easy problems ever come to the President of the United States. If they are easy to solve, somebody else has solved them.” I found that hard to believe, but now I know it is true.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
Every man has a rainy corner of his life whence comes foul weather which follows him.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
All problems are finally scientific problems.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Those who inherit fortunes are frequently more of a problem than those who made them.
—African Proverb
We shall find the answer when we examine the problem, the problem is never apart from the answer, the problem IS the answer, understanding the problem dissolves the problem.
—Bruce Lee (1940–73) American Martial Artist, Actor, Philosopher
Few can really understand the problem, the answer will come out of it, because the answer is not separate from the problem.
—Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986) Indian Philosopher
The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it.—Skilful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.
—Epicurus (c.341–270 BCE) Greek Philosopher
Don’t get involved in partial problems, but always take flight to where there is a free view over the whole single great problem, even if this view is still not a clear one.
—Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951) Austrian-born British Philosopher
Never bring the problem solving stage into the decision making stage. Otherwise, you surrender yourself to the problem rather than the solution.
—Robert H. Schuller (1926–2015) American Christian Televangelist, Author
To solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself: First, what could I do? Second, what could I read? And third, who could I ask?
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
It isn’t that they can’t see the solution. It is that they can’t see the problem.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Don’t tell your problems to people: eighty percent don’t care; and the other twenty percent are glad you have them.
—Lou Holtz (1893–1980) American Stage Performer
If our thinking is clear, how could work or money be the problem? Our thinking is all we need to change.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
If you want to make a permanent change, stop focusing on the size of your problems and start focusing on the size of you!
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
It’s not the tragedies that kill us, it’s the messes.
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American Humorist, Journalist
One-half the troubles of this life can be traced to saying yes too quickly and not saying no soon enough.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve.
—Erich Fromm (1900–80) German-American Psychoanalyst, Social Philosopher
No one is more definite about the solution than the one who doesn’t understand the problem.
—Robert Half
Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems.
—Scott Adams (b.1957) American Cartoonist
Problems are only opportunities in work clothes.
—Henry J. Kaiser (1882–1967) American Industrialist
The problem is not that you cannot have what you think you want. The problem is that when you get what you think you want, it won’t satisfy.
—Unknown
It’s rest I want—there, I have said it out—
From cooking meals for hungry hired men
And washing dishes after them—from doing
Things over and over that just won’t stay done.
By good rights I ought not to have so much
Put on me, but there seems no other way.
Len says one steady pull more ought to do it.
He says the best way out is always through.
And I agree to that, or in so far
As that I can see no way out but through—
Leastways for me—and then they’ll be convinced.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
It is wise to direct your anger towards problems—not people, to focus your energies on answers—not excuses.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
Whatever creativity is, it is in part a solution to a problem.
—Brian Aldiss (1925–2017) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer
The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I’ve bought a big bat. I’m all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!
—Theodor Seuss Geisel (‘Dr. Seuss’) (1904–91) American Children’s Books Writer, Writer, Cartoonist, Animator
A problem is a chance for you to do your best.
—Duke Ellington (1899–1974) American Jazz Pianist, Composer, Bandleader
If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.
—Modern Proverb
Every big problem was at one time a wee disturbance.
—Unknown
If you have a big problem in your life, all that means is that you are being a small person!
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
A problem well stated is a problem half solved.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
Rich people do not back away from problems, do not avoid problems, and do not complain about problems. Rich people are financial warriors.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
He that will not apply new remedies, must expect new evils: for Time is the greatest innovator: and if Time, of course, alter things to the worse, and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better, what shall be the end?
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Nearly all our ills are the result of neglect in some way or other. And this truth may be said to apply to the ills of nations as well. Negligence is at the bottom of all decay. And decay always starts by showing little signs-or warnings. Then is the time to show interest and to be alert. There is nothing quite so easy as to neglect, and nothing quite so difficult as to repair that negligence. Negligence always carries a high price. It costs nothing to avoid it.
—George Matthew Adams (1878–1962) American Columnist, Journalist
Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you don’t have any problems, you don’t get any seeds.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
If I think that someone else is causing my problem, I’m insane.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
No problem is insurmountable. With a little courage, teamwork and determination a person can overcome anything.
—Anonymous
Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well informed just to be undecided about them.
—Laurence J. Peter (1919–90) Canadian-born American Educator, Author
Every problem has a gift for you in its hands.
—Richard Bach (b.1936) American Novelist, Aviator
Problems always appear big when incompetent men are working on them.
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
When things are bad we take a bit of comfort in the thought that they could always be worse. And when they are, we find hope in the thought that things are so bad they have to get better.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
Flies will easily fly into the honey—their problem is how to get out.
—Persian Proverb
We have no problems, only situations. Not all problems have solutions, but all situations have outcomes.
—John Edward Gray (1800–75) English Zoologist, Botanist
Solve one problem, and you keep a hundred others away.
—Chinese Proverb
Most people spend more time and energy going around problems than in trying to solve them.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
The bottom line is that if you become a master at handling problems and overcoming obstacles, what can stop you from success? The answer is nothing! And if nothing can stop you, you become unstoppable!
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Rich and successful people are solution-oriented; they spend their time and energy strategizing and planning the answers to challenges that come up, and creating systems to make certain that problem doesn’t occur again.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Can one be a saint if God does not exist? That is the only concrete problem I know of today.
—Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Author