Opportunities Within Problems

The following is taken from business coach Marc Corsini..


Last week, I talked about the pressing need for a “new” formula for success. The business environment has changed drastically; we simply cannot continue to sell using the same old techniques that worked before. The stark reality is this: It is two to three times harder to be successful in this tsunami economy. So I challenged everyone to throw out last year’s playbook and embrace this new reality. Then meet it head-on with new and improved techniques and more of them.

Now I want to perhaps shock you into a newer, more positive attitude about all this. I’m encouraging you to stop focusing on the problems we face in this economy. All too often these days, conversation centers on the negative. People are asking things like “How’s your business doing in the worst economy since the depression?” or “Did you see that Any-Co is laying off 140 employees?” or “Have you noticed that two more stores on Main Street have closed their doors?”

Sure, it’s disturbing. Frightening, even. And we can’t ignore it. But we have to look at all this in a healthier, more productive way.

Stop focusing on the problems and the things you can’t control! That is not time well spent. These days, your time is even more valuable than ever since you’re going to have to work harder to achieve your goals. Yes, we’re in challenging times, but your most pressing concerns should not be what’s wrong at your company, the stagnation of the industry you serve, the anemic economy, the problems with health care, etc.

I have a better idea.

Look for (and then act on) opportunities within the problems. I guarantee you that some of these problems are opportunities in disguise. Some might be dressed in absolute shambles, but look beneath the guise, and, chances are, you’ll find something you can work with.

For instance, times are tough, but housing prices are low. Is now the time for you to buy? (The same holds true for cars.) People are being laid off; I’ll bet there are people out there looking for jobs, and they have just the talent your company needs. Business is slow; take the time to train your people and improve your processes. Then take time for yourself so you can get in better physical shape or enrich your spiritual life.

Reverse-engineer the problems, and you’ll find opportunities everywhere. Of course, you need to be able to recognize the opportunity of an opportunity. Let’s lighten things up with some witty indications of how opportunities might appear:
I say this: “Opportunity knocks; it doesn’t lean on the doorbell. You have to be listening for it; better yet, you need to be expecting it.”
Doug Larson said, “Sometimes opportunity knocks, but most of the time it sneaks up and then quietly steals away.”
And Boyd Chissum takes it a step further with this: “Even when opportunity knocks, a man still has to get up off his seat and open the door.”
Albert Einstein said this: “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”
Ken Lintz put the same idea this way, saying: “An obstacle is often an unrecognized opportunity.”
Charles Swindoll cautions, “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”
Ann Landers advises something similar: “Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them.”
Finally, know this: Opportunities are never lost; someone will take the one you miss.

SUMMARY
Turn problems into opportunities. Rethink how you view trouble. Look for the opportunities within the predicaments. It takes leadership, creativity and innovation to train your brain to focus on the opportunities instead of the setbacks…especially these days. But you can do it. It’s the healthy, productive way to move forward in these challenging times.