When Something Goes Wrong

It happens!

• A guest has a terrible experience at your resort.

• Your child becomes sick.

• You receive unexpected results from a blood test.

• Your business budget requires more cuts

• The refrigerator stops working.

• Or, perhaps most difficult of all, you learn that a close friend or family member has passed away.

Suddenly, it seems as though the whole world has stopped.

• You feel that pit in your stomach.

• Your heart beats faster.

• You put your head in your hands.

And you ask yourself ...

• "Why is this happening to me?"

• "What did I do to deserve this?"

• "Who is responsible?"

Sound familiar?

Our first reaction is often to blame someone or something. But after a few moments, reality settles in.

• The problem is real.

• It isn't going away.

• And somehow, someway, we must deal with it.

But how?

• Is there a clever acronym we can remember?

• A magic formula?

• Could we simply snap our fingers, close our eyes, and make everything return to normal?

Wouldn't that be wonderful!

Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way.

Some problems are easily resolved. Others take days, months, or even years. And some, like losing someone we love, cannot be fixed at all.

But here's the interesting thing ...

We cannot always control what happened. But we can influence what comes next.

Think about driving your car.

• In front of you is a large windshield.

• Above you is a much smaller rearview mirror.

• The rearview mirror allows us to see where we have been.

• The windshield allows us to see where we are going.

Both are important.

But imagine trying to drive your car while staring continuously into the rearview mirror!

Yet isn't that what we sometimes do in life?

We spend so much time looking backward, asking why something happened, that we forget to look forward and consider what we can do next.

Now, don't misunderstand me.

We must learn from our mistakes, understand the facts, consider our alternatives, develop a plan, and take action.

And sometimes our first solution won't work.

We must adjust, persevere, and find the strength to bend but not break.

But what if we changed the question?

Instead of asking ...

"Why did this happen to me?"

What if we asked ...

"What will become because of what went wrong?"

• A guest's poor experience becomes an opportunity to show genuine care and ensure it doesn't happen again.

• A child's illness reminds us how important family is.

• An unexpected medical result encourages us to take better care of ourselves.

• An upside-down budget requires us to focus on the needs and not the wants

• And even in the sadness of losing someone we love, we may discover a greater appreciation for the precious moments we shared.

Not every problem has a happy ending.

And not every painful experience is a gift we would have chosen.

But even in difficult circumstances, we may discover something worth holding on to.

• Faith.

• Gratitude.

• Wisdom.

• Compassion.

• Love.

What went wrong can become an anchor that holds us back or a stepping stone that helps us move forward.

This Friday, something will probably go wrong.

Perhaps something small.

Perhaps something significant.

When it happens, take a deep breath.

Say a prayer.

Look through the windshield.

And instead of asking, "Why did this happen to me?"

Ask yourself ...

"What will come of what happened?"

Because what happened yesterday cannot always be changed.

But what happens next will depend on what you choose to do today.

Believe in what can be and do your part to make it happen.

Until Next Friday,

Rob