Solve Any Challenge with This Simple Question

Ep: 271

We often think that tough situations require complex solutions.

But what if the solution was much simpler than you think?

Today on The Bridge to Fulfillment Ⓡ, Blake reveals the importance of viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and how one simple mindset shift can help you simplify complex problems, foster curiosity, and operate from a place of non-judgment.

In this episode, you’ll learn how our lack of formal education around growth is the reason why we often repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Simplifying your thought process helps expand your perspective, allowing you to challenge the limiting beliefs that lead to repetitive issues. You’ll learn how to embrace curiosity and ultimately find the root cause.

 

What You’ll Learn:

  • The truth about the challenges you’re facing (2:16)
  • A challenge to reconsider now (3:11)
  • Why you keep repeating the same mistakes (5:14)
  • What happens when you decide to make things easier (6:09)

 

Favorite Quotes:

  1. “There is always a solution to the challenge that you’re facing or the opportunity ahead of you.” –Blake Schofield
  2. “When we don’t see something simple, when it feels complex, it’s a great opportunity to stop and question, what do we believe about this?” –Blake Schofield
  3. “There is no challenge you can’t meet. There is no struggle that you are facing today that you can’t overcome.” –Blake Schofield
  4. “We are not living as authentically as we want. We are not living with the peace and joy and space and time to be present in the way that we want, but it is possible for us to do that, and it starts with that curiosity.” –Blake Schofield

Additional Resources: 
For programs and opportunities to work with Blake, go to www.BlakeSchofield.com

Transcript

Blake Schofield 0:05
Hi, I’m Blake Schofield, founder and CEO of The Bridge to Fulfillment. I’m a mom to three, a USA Today Top 10 Professional Coach, and a former corporate executive who got tired of sacrificing my life for a comfortable paycheck.

My mission is to expand perspectives to achieve greater impact at home and work—without sacrifice. This is The Bridge to Fulfillment.

Blake Schofield 0:39
“What if it could just be easy?”

This is a phrase I started to live by a couple of years ago. I began challenging myself and my clients with it whenever faced with circumstances that felt difficult, challenging, or complex. Over time, I realized this is a powerful question you can ask yourself every single day: What if it could just be easy?

It seems like such a simple question. So simple, in fact, that you might dismiss it, thinking, If it could really be that easy, something must be wrong with me—or maybe Blake just doesn’t have a clue.

But as someone who has worked through many complicated things in life, I can tell you this: simplicity is powerful. I’ll never forget a comment a boss once made to me when I worked at Target Corporation. She said, “Blake, you only like to solve hard problems.” At the time, I didn’t see the issue. I thought, There are plenty of people to solve simple problems, so of course, I like solving the hard ones.

What I’ve come to realize is that while my ability to solve complex problems is a gift, it often led me to overcomplicate things—or avoid tasks I thought were boring. Over the years, I’ve learned it can be easy.

Blake Schofield 1:11
There is always a solution to the challenge you’re facing or the opportunity ahead of you. If something feels complex, it’s an opportunity to pause and ask:

  • What do I believe about this?
  • What am I thinking?
  • What limitations am I putting on my problem-solving?

Ultimately, we have the ability to create whatever we want in life. There’s no challenge you can’t overcome and no struggle you can’t resolve. But when we think in black-and-white terms—this or that, with only one or two options—we put ourselves in a box. And the truth is, we’re not actually trapped; we just believe we are.

Today, I challenge you to think about something in your life that feels difficult or unsolvable. Maybe it’s something as small as:

  • My child keeps having meltdowns, and I don’t know how to handle it.
  • My boss doesn’t understand why this initiative is important.

Or maybe it’s something more significant:

  • I feel unfulfilled in my work and don’t know how to pivot.
  • I’m struggling in my marriage and don’t know how to fix it.

Ask yourself: What if it could just be easy?

Blake Schofield 3:48
Approach the situation with curiosity:

  • What’s going on right now?
  • Why is this happening?
  • What do I think or believe about it?

Then ask:

  • Where am I creating judgment in this circumstance?
  • Am I judging myself?
  • Am I judging others?

Often, we believe things should look a certain way. But when we approach life with curiosity, without judgment, and with a focus on finding simple solutions, we allow ourselves to see things differently.

Blake Schofield 4:48
There’s a saying I once heard: Has someone lived 10 years, or have they lived one year 10 times?

Many of us keep reliving the same experiences, year after year, with only small, nuanced changes. We’re not growing in leaps and bounds. We’re not reaching our potential or addressing the root causes of what holds us back.

This stagnation impacts our peace, joy, relationships, and ability to live authentically. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. Growth starts with curiosity. It starts with expanding your perspective about what’s possible and letting go of judgment about how things should look or how you should show up.

Blake Schofield 5:48
Ask yourself: What if it could just be easy?

When you do, you’ll begin to notice a shift. You’ll start to see doors of opportunity open as you explore new perspectives and approaches.

As someone who used to be a Type A perfectionist—working long hours, feeling constant stress and anxiety, and always believing the next milestone would finally solve my problems—I can tell you there’s another way. Today, I live with joy, peace, and presence, creating a life I love.

There’s so much more possible for your life than you realize. The only limits are the ones you believe.

Blake Schofield 7:17
So, challenge those beliefs. Ask yourself: What if it could just be easy? I can’t wait to see what happens next. Until next time, I hope you have a fantastic week.