We seek opportunity in every instance. Our greatest opportunity many times lies in our biggest challenges or opposition.
Instead of being fearful and self-doubting in times of adversity, I now seek the good and the growth that will come out of that adversity.
Looking back thirty-some years ago, there was one particular example of when I found out what it really meant to have signed a personal guarantee on a multi-million dollar property I owned. When construction loans went to 22%, it became impossible to build-out the project and I ended up losing everything I had when the bank came in and took every last penny I had to my name. However, through this experience of devastating financial loss, I “discovered me” and who I really was, through the process. Which put me on a completely different course in life.
I am grateful today for that shift in perception, which at first appeared disastrous, but in realty was a unseen gift. What was that gift? Well, I discovered that people could in fact care about me and love me for who I was and not what I had in material possessions or accomplishments. How did I come to this conclusion? Well, it was during this financial melt-down that I discovered through the love and support of my then girlfriend at the time (who is now my wife of 28 years) that money was not what was important, and that it was actually “me” who she was interested in and loved. That was a game-changer for me.
So, when you are faced with a challenging situation, take a moment to ask yourself “how is this serving me?” “What benefit am I getting from going through this or experiencing this?” “What is something I can learn about myself through this process?”
When you put a flashlight on a perceived problem, you are able to see what may have been hidden just below the surface. And when you are able to “find the good” in this challenge or circumstance, it makes it easier to then move through and become better from it.
