How To Turn Crisis Into Opportunity
Have you ever met or seen anyone who loves problems?
I’m certain you haven’t!
No one likes problems. We all wish we were immune to it.
“I’ve never known anyone who said, “I love problems,” but I have known many who admitted that their greatest gains came amidst their pain.”
How do they do it?
I mean, how are they able to transform their lives despite the insurmountable difficulties surrounding them…?
Because very few people know how to turn crisis into opportunity and adversity into advantage
Haven’t you wondered?
I bet you have.
As you’re read this, it’s no longer news that the world is in crisis. It’s yet to recover from the deadly pandemic disease (Covid-19) that hit earlier in 2020.
The global pandemic disrupted everything we were used to and brought everyone to a halt.
I’m almost certain that the disruption was a real shocker to everyone – including leading business moguls across different industries.
It knock a lot of people out of business and rendered many redundant. Some even lost their loved ones.
And ever since, some people have been struggling to survive and living from hand to mouth…with little or no source of income or livelihood.
The aftermath of these sudden and disrupted changes is even worst if you’re from a developing and underdeveloped nation.
The thing about a crisis is this:
Unprecedented change destabilizes us as humans. It alters our plans and throws us into confusion and panic. It often causes bitter pain and plunges us into disarray…and eventually into hopelessness and depression.
And humans hate that. It’s the same reason we’re scared of change.
And on the extremes, some people can even go as far as committing suicide just to escape it all.
That’s how bad most people are terrified of things that threaten their comfort.
With uncertainty, it’s easy for people to become powerless about their situation. They view tomorrow through the lens of their circumstances and see a bleak future.
“And without hope for the future, we simply lose power for the present.”
For instance:
As you read this, you’ve probably lost your job or business, or you’re trying to build a business or side hustle from the scratch.
It’s difficult to be a salary earner and come down to ground zero – with little or no money to look forward to at the end of the month.
And it hit differently even if you still have your job, but the constant hike in the price of goods/services without a commensurate increase in monthly take-home can leave anyone perpetually unsettled.
Amidst all of these, there’s house rent you have to pay. children’s school fees (if you’re married). You’d have to feed your family…and pay other unforeseen bills.
Lack of financial stability can snatch your freedom and makes you settle for far less than you truly desire and deserve.
It reduces your self-esteem, personal pride, and confidence as a human.
Not to mention the constant anxiety and mental health issues that go with it…as you battle “God forsaken” thoughts.
These and many other unpleasant realities are what many of us have to confront in life today.
And it’s impossible to experience this kind of uncertainty and not be moved by it.
But although a crisis will move you, it doesn’t mean you have to be moved negatively.
The current situation could bring out the very best in you.
I know it can be hard to think this when it seems you’re going through hell.
That’s why I’ve decided to offer some clarity for you in these difficult times.
I want to help you understand the true meaning of crisis and how you can benefit from it.
I hope that this helps you see every difficult situation in new light so you can take advantage of the opportunities it present.
Crisis defined
The dictionary defines crisis as “an intense time of great difficulty.”
In medical terms, crisis means “a turning point.”
In Greek, crisis means “decision.”
Very interesting meanings you would agree…
But let me sum it up for you:
A crisis is “a time of intense difficulty, requiring a decision that is a turning point.”
No doubt, a crisis is a time of difficulty. But it’s also a time of decision. And difficult times prompt us to make a decision that leads to a turning point.
A turning point is a crossroads, a T-junction. It’s an opportunity to change direction or course.
For you to proceed and move forward, you need to decide on which way to go.
No matter what you’ve experienced during these trying times, you’re at the point of decision right now.
You can decide to keep reminiscing about the good old days, feel sorry for yourself with self-pity…
and keep stewing over your loss like a victim.
You can either continue down the path of least resistance. The path you have already been traveling or you can choose the road less traveled.
This is where many people throw up the sponge.
They simply lack the mental toughness and tenacity to forge ahead.
The path of least resistance will result in you getting the same outcomes you’ve always received.
Outcomes like depression and bitterness, anger, frustration, being broke, self-pity, anxiety, hopelessness… etc.
It’s heart-rendering to see your family go hungry or fall sick but don’t have the means to rise to the occasion.
It’s a kiss of death to a man. Fewer things in life make a man feel worthless and useless.
But, if you want something different to happen, if you want to change the direction of your life (finance, business, etc.) you’re going to have to do something different.
Make a new choice, and pursue your new outcome.
The crisis was never your fault, but what you do about it is entirely up to you.
Now, the question begging for an answer is…
How can you take advantage of this crisis?
Below are three simple ways:
1. Get the right Perspective about your situation
To take advantage of the crisis, you need to see it in a new light. You have to see differently.
Like I often say, crisis equals opportunities. Simply put, every crisis brings opportunities.
No wonder, in Japanese and Chinese culture, there’s no word for crisis.
To them, a crisis is an opportunity. Little wonder they’re gradually taking over the global economy and market.
Anywhere you see crisis, look again, there are always opportunities lurking around.
But you don’t go out looking for the dirt. You go out looking for the diamond in the dirt.
More often than not, the challenge most people face isn’t because there’s a lack of opportunity around them. It’s because they often disguise themselves as a crisis.
That takes a lot of change in perspective.
Yet, In crisis situations, our focus is always on the negatives. Humans have the natural tendency to always focus on what isn’t working.
And whatever we give our attention to magnifies.
But in other to make “turning point decisions,” you have to see your situation with a new set of eyes.
Because viewing your situation through a different lens brings a new outlook (and a fresh perspective).
For you to recognize opportunities in trying times, you have to focus on the things you can change.
You can always change your perspective. That’s where it all begins because it determines where your energy goes.
But then, a change in perspective begins with the heart of gratitude.
And this is only possible if;
2. You ask the right questions
There’s something about asking the right questions in times of crisis. It changes your focus.
It opens up a whole new world and possibilities for you.
The kind of questions you ask determines the answer you receive. And most times, that’s what makes the difference between those who succeed and those who fail.
In tough times, never let what your eyes see determine what your heart believes.
Because if you ask “why is my life so horrible?” your brain will come up with lots of information about why it’s horrible. That’s how the brain is programmed to function.
Likewise when you ask, “how can I turn this situation around?” your brain will give you those answers, too.
“Growth is only possible in difficult times when you learn to ask the right questions.”
If you want to change the quality of your life, you’ve first got to change the questions you ask yourself daily.
Most people do the exact opposite. They ask wrong questions like “why me?”
Wrong questions can’t stir up creativity. Only great questions do.
And it’s only when you ask a creative question you can receive creative answers.
Even the Holy Bible admonishes that we receive what we ask for…which means, it doesn’t matter the kind of question.
You’ll simply receive answers to the questions you ask.
So, what kind of questions are you asking?
Here are some questions to ask when in crisis
1. How can I make the most of this crisis?
2. How is the worst thing that happened to be the best thing that happened to me?
3. What do I have?
4. What problems do people have?
5. How can I provide a solution for them?
Truth is, “It isn’t what you don’t have that limits you. It’s what you have but doesn’t know how to use.”
Making use of what you have requires creativity…a simple change in focus.
And unfortunately, more than 57% of the world population have no idea what they’re good at or what they even have.
And asking the right questions…
3. Stir up your creative juice
“Creativity isn’t something you wait on, it’s something you stir up.”
That’s why the kind of question you ask is important.
“Great questions stir up creativity. Bad question stifles it.”
Look around you. People have problems and are going through pain.
You aren’t the only one in a difficult situation.
But to succeed, you must be able to look past your challenge and focus your attention on other people’s pain and problems.
That’s where the money is. It’s in recognizing people’s pain points.
What can you do to help them?
What great solution can you provide?
That’s what business is all about. It’s meeting people’s needs.
Business ideas are all around you.
I once heard Myles Munroe say, “a business is born when the solution to a problem is discovered.”
I couldn’t have agreed less.
What solution have you discovered to solve a problem?
What skillset, gift, and talent do you have?
How can you package it in such a way that it commands value?
What can you sell?
In times of crisis, one of the greatest challenges you will have is what you believe about yourself. What you call yourself.
Difficult times need us to re-invent ourselves and evolve. This alone can be a stumbling block for most people.
You have to let go of the limiting beliefs and labels you have (especially about yourself).
Your survival is more important than your ego. Shred-it.
Asking empowering questions can stir you into an unfamiliar route.
When you’re on a detour, the temptation is to hurry back to the familiar route because it feels safe.
I want to encourage you, as this crisis continues to lead you down detours, to take advantage of it. And seize every opportunity.
How?
Work on having the right perspective.
Ask the right question…which will
Stir up your creativity.