The Gift Behind The Challenge

Often, when confronted with challenges and tough times - in our personal worlds, our careers, our businesses, we tend to see them as singular events. Something simply to overcome, not yielded to but pushed through.

Another, perhaps more beneficial approach to these times is to see them in a broader way that allows us to look for the potential gift in the circumstances that are presenting themselves.

For example, if we are faced with a cash flow crisis, rather than ranting and raving, getting depressed and yelling at the kids (I have done all of these) another approach would be to ask "What can I learn from this?" "What are the gifts contained within this situation?" The gifts in the cash flow crunch might be:

• You see the lack of current financial management that you hadn't see prior
• The realisation of too many overheads
• Some employees are not producing effectively
• Discovery of new markets and clients
• Greater emphasis on Creativity and Innovation

I think the other key here is to step back and ask "What can I learn from this?" These learnings are also the gift.

Tough times if approached in this manner can lead us into new disciplines and discoveries that we had not known existed in our worlds before they arrived. We experience life from death; gain from loss; resilience from challenge; clarity from uncertainty.

Look for the gift behind the challenge. You never know what you will find unless you have a peek around the corner.