I have a quality problem. After traveling for 1,5 year (!!!), I was stopped at a border of Singapore, where border control was reluctant to let me in their country. The problem was that I had too many stamps in my passport, so customs really wanted to know why am I traveling for so long, how am I financing my travels, am I going to look for employment in their country, and so on. I spent 3 hours talking to different investigators, who eventually let me in. This was an annoying experience, one which I could have easily avoided if I did not travel for so long…
Quality Problems Definition
A quality problem is a problem, which rich people have. When I say “rich people” I don’t necessarily mean financially rich people. It can also be rich people in their relationships (e.g., they have so many partners that they don’t know how to manage them), in their health (e.g., so healthy that cannot sit still or enjoy that cake, because it is unhealthy), but sure it can be financially, too (e.g., they have so much money their friends start to resent them for it). In my case, I am “rich”, because I have been traveling for as long as I have.
People without quality problems often look at people with quality problems with a laugh. Sometimes they even get angry. Surely they are exaggerating! I mean, a person who can’t find one GF thinks that a guy with 4 GFs is just being ridiculous, right? I mean, he could give that one of the 4 GFs and everyone would be happy, right?
In his book “10x” Grant Cardone wrote:
“Take so much action that you have new problems because of how much action you take.”
I love this saying, but it actually sucks to be on the other side of this.
Solutions To Quality Problems
Most people will say something like “Just don’t go to Thailand” or “Just dump the 3 girlfriends and keep 1” or “just give your friends the money they need”. If it was so easy… I mean, in reality, quality problem people could easily do the above, but often they feel they have an earned right, so why should they give that right up?
Still, general happiness advice applies when dealing with quality problems, or any other problems in our lives. The basic formula is:
1) Relax – If you are still alive, you can still be happy. And if you are not alive, then you have no more problem.
2) See what benefits are in this problem – Every situation is good and bad at the same time. We just need to find these reasons, because they always exist. Focusing on the positives will cause us to think more positively, which is where the problem-solving action begins.
3) Accept the consequences – Is it sucks that you have this problem? Probably. But you have it and now you have to move on. The sooner you accept the new situation and what it means for your life, the faster you will move on.
4) Focus on a solution – The best way to accept the consequences is to find a solution to your problem and execute it. Stagnation is where you will find the most pain, so avoid this situation, act as soon as possible.
Thus, for me, I am planning to show up on a border and see what happens. I will look up a ticket out of the country, just in case, and prepare myself to change plans with my father if need be.
