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It is an understatement to say getting things done in the workplace is difficult. Getting things done is often akin to climbing the side of a cliff with just our hands, and no rope. When faced by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, your choices are:

• Put up a fight. Someone is out to “get you” and you should not have to put up with it.
• Ignore the problem, just keep doing your work. After all, if you don’t feed the problem, maybe it will starve to death. Your challenge here will be to not become passive aggressive.
• Accept the problem with equanimity. You accept the lack of control and the need to relentlessly look for a way forward. You are doing your duty, and must keep doing it.
• Change your job. Your current job is so dysfunctional, you’ve tried everything you can, life is too short, you decide to start over elsewhere. Then you realize it is the same everywhere.

It comes down to how many “difficult” problems you are facing and which ones are important. Assuming you have identified the critical ones, the follow up question is, do you have the skills and executive presence to deal with the problem? If you don’t have the skills, you can either change the problems you need to deal with, in your current or new job, or acquire the skills in your current job or in a new job.

This sounds well and good, but we all know how difficult it is. Don’t worry, misery loves company, and you have a lot of company! The trick is to stop being miserable and learn how to deal with difficult situations.