So you may be asking, what’s a gravity problem. Well, first of all it’s not a problem. It’s a reality that people often refer to as a problem. Let me give you an example.

When I was sixteen, I could dunk a basketball.  It was a risky proposition sometimes, but more times than not, it worked. Now that I’m older, I can’t dunk a basketball. In some minds (like mine), that’s a problem because I still think I should be able to dunk a basketball. I’m the same guy and the ball hasn’t changed it’s parameters–neither has the hoop–so I should be able to overcome this problem if I work harder, get the right shoes, get the right trainer, etc. In reality, I’m never going to dunk a basketball again. At least without the aid of a trampoline or ladder. This is a gravity problem because gravity is a reality that will keep me from ever achieving the unrealistic objective of dunking a basketball at my age.

I can’t count the number of times people around me at work, in social circles, etc have described their situation in terms of a gravity problem that allows them to rationalize (telling rationale lies) or ignore the realities of the situation and continue addressing aspects of a situation that aren’t ever going to get at the real problem.

At work, the majority of things I hear are excuses about how an old system was so much better than the current system, but in reality the comparisons don’t hold water because the problems pointed out existed in the old system as well. They aren’t really problems but realities that will always have to be acknowledged and dealt with in order to get to an actual solution. In social circles, I hear the same rational lies. If only I hadn’t made this choice or been forced to do that. Realities are what they are–like gravity–and as much as we like to think we can control every aspect of our situation, we have to face reality and all the challenges that come with that reality in order to move forward. Gravity isn’t going away–neither will our realities or the decision we’ve made in the past that impact those realities. Our job is to acknowledge gravity, put it to use for our benefit and make the best of reality.