That’s kind of how I felt while merrily running down the mountain trail with my dog. As my feet went out from under me on one particularly steep and sharp turn I tried to break my fall with my right arm and instead broke my wrist. After getting over the initial shock and pain in the first few milliseconds, my first thoughts were “OMG, how am I ever going to get all my work done?!”

It’s amazing how much functionality we actually miss when we lose the use of our dominant hand. Now at this point, I have basically two choices. I can be miserable about what just happened, or I can take action.

The biggest impact this incident has on my work is of course my ability to Type, given that I’m a righty (oh, and tying my shoes). Okay, so now is as good a time as ever to learn how to use dictation software! (Which is exactly how this post was written, albeit very haltingly and clumsily).

There will Always be things that happen to us that are totally out of our control. Worry, lament, and gnashing of teeth are really not the preferred coping strategies…

It’s not what happens to us that matters, it’s what we do about it that counts.

W. Mitchell

While a broken wrist is hardly earth shattering (no pun intended), it is still a great inconvenience. However, I truly believe that anytime something happens that we would ordinarily not particularly wish for, it opens the door to some opportunity that we otherwise would not have available to us. For example, imagine how good I’ll be with this &$%#@! dictation software by the time the cast comes off! A new skill acquired that I otherwise never would’ve bothered learning (and for good reason).

Things may be going well for you or they may be going miserably at the moment. One thing is for sure, whatever is happening right now, can change in an instant. Your ultimate success in life and business is determined not by how many bad things don’t happen to you, but rather how you adapt to them when they do.

My first year in college I had a full head of very blond hair (yes, it’s true) and a full beard that was jet black —quite a striking image if I do say so myself :0)  My roommate for almost one year never new me any other way.  Then one day I decided to shave my beard.  When he came home from work that day I asked if he noticed anything different. He carefully examined my hair, my shirt etc. and finally gave up.  He was totally blown away when I told him.  BTW, he was a school teacher who decided to become… you guessed it, a REALTOR.

This begs the question as to what opportunities and relationships are we missing when go about our busy lives and don’t really see?  This is just another way of saying “Failure to be in the moment”…

I know I’m not seeing things as they are,
I’m seeing things as I am.

Laurel Lee

Do you see abundance and opportunity or, do you see scarcity and frustration?  Do you see the real humanity and heart in others or someone who is a means to an end?  Kind of makes you see things differently, doesn’t it…

Common human behavior is to react, (and usually poorly) to outside stimulus. Uncommon human behavior is to anticipate, plan and then execute what is necessary to turn the pain of imposed change into opportunity.

From the executive suite on down to the line-level sales associate, this has got to be one of the most reactive of all industries. Players are either “high” or “low” depending upon the news, market statistics and just about everything else that is out of their control. Fortunately though (as always), you have a choice as to whether you react or prepare…

You hit homeruns not by chance but by preparation.

– Roger Maris

Reaction is typically fear-based no matter how the market is (“I’m going to miss opportunities!” / “I’m going to go broke!”). And unless you are being chased by a Saber-Tooth Tiger, action based on fear almost never ends well. By always preparing for what will or might come your way, you have a much better chance of hitting the ball out of the park, no matter how it is thrown…