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Learn how to solve other people's problems
Wednesday, 19 April 2006
Why is it that some people's careers go almost nowhere, while others have a spectacular rise? Of course, there are all sorts of answers to that question - politics, connections, luck. There's one trait you can possess that will almost guarantee you success, however.
The ability to solve the problems of others well.
Of course, every job involves problem solving of some sort. The server at McDonalds plays a part in solving somebody's hunger problem; the janitor solves the problem of the corridors being dirty.
But the bigger the problem, and the less people who know how to solve it, the better paid it is likely to be. Brain surgeons earn excellent money, because few other people know how to solve that problem. And if you're someone who needs brain surgery, you'd be willing to pay almost any price to get it from a reputable surgeon.
Tax consultants to the rich can save their clients millions of dollars. That's a big problem which is likely to be much better paid than just satisfying somebody's need for a hamburger.
This is also why lawyers are so well paid. If you have some sort of legal trouble, most people will pay almost anything to get out of it. Lawyers know that they're solving a big fat problem for their clients, and expect to be rewarded accordingly.
If you look around at people with good, well paid jobs, you'll find that they almost always are solving sticky problems that few others know how to. So if you want to move ahead with you career or your business, that is what you should look for too.
No career title or experience is a guaranteed path to success except professional problem solver with rare skills in a particular specialization. This is the position you want to place yourself into. If you are unsatisfied with your job, the respect you are given, and the wages you are paid, that's because you probably haven't moved yourself into that position.
Find some problem that few other people are willing or able to solve, and become an expert at fixing it. Once you demonstrate your ability to do so, all sorts of people will start knocking down your door asking you to solve it for them too.
And that's the best way to get a well-paid, satisfying career, where you are the one in control.
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