The Problem Isn’t the Problem

Our attention is

We all have problems. They take up space in our minds, tighten in our bodies, and drive us to distraction. Naturally, we want relief. So we throw all our energy at these problems, convinced that the more effort we exert, the sooner the discomfort will subside.

But here’s a question worth asking: If fixing problems were simply a matter of effort and focus, why do they keep multiplying at a curious pace behind problems nearly solved—as if this were a never ending game of Whac-A-Mole?

This endless cycle points to a deeper misunderstanding. We’ve inherited the belief—consciously or not—that life is struggle, that fulfillment is a prize won through hard work and sacrifice. Yet this story of perpetual striving, this “grindstone approach,” rarely delivers the peace we crave. Perhaps it’s time to try a different story.

The Trap of Problem-Centered Thinking

Let’s ground this in something familiar: money. Suppose you’re facing financial difficulties. You might not even have to imagine it. We’ve all been there—when money feels scarce, anxiety and fear creep in like unwelcome guests.

The conventional wisdom tells us to fixate on the problem: calculate expenses, strategize solutions, hustle harder. But what happens? Often, your anxiety amplifies. Stress builds. Your mind loops through the same worries, circling without landing on any real resolution. It’s textbook rumination.

With this issue in mind, Albert Einstein once said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” I’d argue further here that it’s not just a matter of thought or cognition—it’s a matter of emotional state. Meaning that we cannot move toward solutions while rooted in the very anxiety and stress that define the problem.

The True Problem: What We Pay Attention To

Here’s a perspective that may challenge you: The real problem is not the number in your bank account. It’s the emotional charge you’ve attached to it—anxiety, fear, insecurity. These feelings, not the circumstances themselves, are what we truly wish to escape from.

Think about it. If you could feel completely at peace regardless of your financial situation, would it still dominate your thoughts as a problem? It’s not that material conditions are irrelevant—they aren’t meant to be ignored or spiritually bypassed—but they aren’t the sole authors of your suffering.

So here’s another question to ask yourself:

What if you stopped wrestling with your problems for a moment? Instead of fixating on solutions that won’t come, what if you placed your attention elsewhere—on something that evokes peace, joy, or fulfillment?

This is not an invitation to suppress your painful emotions. On the contrary, feel them. Let them move through you. But don’t convert them into your identity claims; nor inflate them with endless mental chatter. Rather, anchor yourself in a state of inner stability…

Just imagine how you would feel if the problem were already resolved. Hold that feeling—peace, relief, even quiet contentment—and keep returning to it when worry pulls you away.

If you’re skeptical, consider this: Has endless worrying ever led to the clarity you seek? Many of us spend years—or even decades—gripped by the same recurring fears. If obsessing were effective, we would have solved our problems long ago.

Instead, try giving yourself permission to stop. Set aside 15 minutes a day for dedicated worrying if you must, but the rest of the time, gently redirect your mind toward a better emotional state. Feel what it’s like to exist in the present moment, where nothing is broken and nothing needs immediate fixing. From this place of peace (our new emotional state), solutions often emerge on their own—unexpectedly, gracefully.

What About Action?

Of course, this isn’t an argument against action. If you know the exact steps to solve a problem, by all means, take them. But reflect on this: How often do you take action while still trapped in emotional chaos, only to find yourself tangled in new problems? Action that stems from internal misalignment rarely brings lasting peace.

This is why countless people achieve external success—money, status, even love—yet remain restless and anxious. Their minds simply find new problems to fixate on. This tension is reflected in the ancient wisdom of Kabbalah. It teaches that true transformation begins within, and that without this inner alignment, no amount of external effort will bring the relief you seek.

The Invitation

Here’s a thought experiment. Imagine that you could be happy right now, unconditionally—but you would never get the external things you believe you need to be happy. The mansion, the partner, the promotion—none of it will come. Would you choose that happiness anyway?

This exercise often reveals an uncomfortable truth: many of us don’t want happiness itself. We want happiness with the thing(s). We tether our well-being to stuff beyond our control, leaving joy perpetually out of reach.

But life will never align perfectly with our desires. If happiness isn’t possible here, in this moment, then when? Now is all there is.

I’m not asking you to believe this blindly. I’m asking you to test it. Approach your life differently. Practice gratitude. Feel peace where you can. See what shifts.

You may find that your problems, though still present, no longer wield the same power. And perhaps, you’ll discover that happiness was never waiting at the end of your struggles. It was simply waiting for your attention.