In the 1980's while working at Borg-Warner Corporation, I developed a powerpoint presentation addressing the issue of a downturn in business.
The president of the company asked me to create a sequence of graphics that depicted a lake, and then through animation show the water level receding. The lower water level would expose rocks that had been under the water but never seen. His point?
When business and profits are at a high level we tend to ignore hidden problems. But when the level drops, it exposes issues that should have been addressed years ago. Put another way, when something bad happens, it may force you to do some things differently - and in the end you may be better off.
I was thinking about this in reference to something that happened which convinced me that often negative things happen in our lives - so that we will realize something much better.
One day when I was in my boat my electric motor hit a big rock. Hard. It bent the shaft and drove it under the front of the boat. Bummer. Right? Nope. For some time I have been concerned that the electric motor doesn't move the boat as fast as it should in the water. When I was forced to straighten the motor, I realized that it needed to be adjusted closer to the top of the water. When I did, the boat doubled its speed.
I would have never realized this if I hadn't hit the rock. My glass is now looking half full.
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