Problems rarely arrive as welcome guests. Yet they often invite us to choose direction, gather courage, and meet difficulty with compassion and clarity. As John F. Kennedy reminded us, “Our task is not to fix the blame for the past, but to fix the course for the future.”

A problem well stated is a problem half solved. ~ Charles Kettering

When the water starts boiling, it is foolish to turn off the heat. ~ Nelson Mandela

When we face problems with compassion, sincerity, and good motivation, our solutions may take longer, but ultimately they are better. ~ Dalai Lama

I have found that the greatest help in meeting any problem with decency and self-respect, and whatever courage is demanded, is to know where you yourself stand. That is, to have in words what you believe and are acting from. ~ William Faulkner

The more difficult a problem becomes, the more interesting it is. ~ Andrew Carnegie

He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils, for time is the greatest innovator. ~ Francis Bacon

One’s objective should be to get it right, get it out, and get it over. You see, your problem won’t improve with age. ~ Warren Buffett

The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum. ~ Frances Willard

I do not have the power to make anything all better for anybody... I am not responsible for solving the problems of everybody else. ~ Gary Lundberg

Many times when I stop working on a problem consciously, my mind continues to work on it below the surface. Often solutions come to me quite by surprise. I’ve learned over time to allow that to happen, rather than to feel that I can simply solve the problem by continuous, grueling effort. ~ Marilynne Robinson

We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. ~ Pema Chödrön