167: Grow Bigger Than Your Problems

Grow Bigger Than Your Problems

If you’re building a side hustle, you already know that challenges come with the territory. Delayed payments, slow sales, tech glitches, unexpected feedback… it’s all part of the process.

But what if the real goal isn’t to eliminate those problems - it’s to grow bigger than them?

That’s the idea behind this week’s Side Hustle Hero episode, Grow Bigger Than Your Problems. Spoiler alert! Your challenges never truly go away. That's why your ability to handle them - your capability - is the key that unlocks your next level of success.

Why Problems Aren’t the Problem

Many people hope that once they find the right business idea, partner, or marketing strategy, their problems will disappear. Is that reality? Nope. Even the most successful entrepreneurs deal with constant obstacles. The difference is how they handle them.

Two people can face the exact same situation - say, a difficult client or a project delay - and experience it completely differently. One person loses sleep and spirals into frustration. The other calmly works through it, learns from it, and moves on stronger.

The problem isn’t the problem. The difference lies in where each person is on their scale of capability -their personal growth, mindset, and life skills.

How to Expand Your Capability

If you’ve ever thought, “Why does this keep happening to me?” or “I can’t handle one more thing,” here’s a simple truth: as you grow, your perspective changes.

That obstacle that once felt overwhelming? A year from now, it might not even rattle you.

Every podcast guest I’ve interviewed, whether they’re flipping products, creating courses, or running a local service business, shares one common thread: they all learned to keep going through the hard parts instead of wishing them away.

So rather than avoiding problems, use them as training. Each one builds your patience, sharpens your decision-making, and strengthens your emotional endurance.

Reframe Problems as Opportunities

A story I share in the episode comes from a stay at the Ritz-Carlton. When an angry guest called the front desk, the employee didn’t panic or complain. Instead, she replied, “We'll have that looked after immediately," and then hung up the phone, turned to a colleague and said, "We have an opportunity in room 1208.”

That one word changed everything. It reframed the situation from stress to service.

Imagine if you applied that mindset to your side hustle:
Instead of saying, “I lost a client,” try, “Here’s my opportunity to find one who’s a better fit.”
Instead of, “This launch failed,” try, “Now I know what my audience really responds to.”

Growth happens every time you replace blame with curiosity.

Your Side Hustle Grows When You Do

The bigger you become—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually—the smaller your problems appear.

That’s why personal development isn’t just a nice add-on; it’s a core business strategy. The more capable you become, the more opportunity you can handle.

So the next time life throws a curveball, instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” try asking, “What is this teaching me?”

Because problems don’t block your path ... they are the path.

Takeaway

When starting or scaling a side hustle, remember this: you don’t need a problem-free path. You need the mindset that allows you to walk it with calm, confidence, and clarity.

Grow bigger than your problems—and you’ll grow your business faster than you ever thought possible.

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