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Opportunities are hidden underneath the threats

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Viswamitra, Apr 15, 2012.

  1. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Finest Blog Winner - Second Weekly Pick of April 2012

    I have been pondering with the thought whether the opportunities really knock at our door. Frankly, the opportunities come to us in the form of threats to us. It is our fear for threats that makes us avoid or shy away from threats without recognizing the opportunities that are hidden within those threats. Former President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “We have nothing to fear about other than fear itself”. How do we see opportunities hidden in threats? What do we do to overcome the fear of threats and find those hidden opportunities?


    Here is a story. Gayathri got married to a family consisting of a father, mother, son and daughter. Both mother and daughter in that family knew very well how to cook food and they were considered experts in this field. The new daughter-in-law Gayathri who was coming into the family did not know much about cooking and was already threatened by this situation as she could never match the skills of her mother-in-law or sister-in-law. She was immediately overwhelmed with the fear thinking how she was going to match them. This thought was making her commit further mistakes and fumble in her work. However, she was determined to have a positive attitude that the two experts in the house meant there was a good chance she could become one as well. She took a bold approach and asked them, “I understand you both cook so well. Can you help me learn it? I am so happy that I can learn from both of you."


    Gayathri was given an opportunity to prepare food on her own one day. Despite her best effort the food quality did not meet the consumable standard leave alone meeting the high standards set up by mother-in-law and sister-in-law. Both the father-in-law and the husband ended up not eating enough that day. Immediately fear took over as the situation was clearly a threat whether Gayathri would be permitted to cook again in the house to prove her mettle. She decided to take a bold approach and declared, “I made an honest attempt to cook well as both mother-in-law and sister-in-law did their best to train me. I knew that they both made tremendous and pain-staking effort to become an expert. I understand that I need to make continuous effort to become an expert myself.” This statement of Gayathri made all the members of the family very happy and they decided to continue their effort to try and make her successful.


    Three months later, Gayathri became an expert herself. Gayathri’s husband’s uncle’s (mother-in-law’s brother’s) family was visiting for an overnight stay. Everyone in the family wanted Gayathri to be the preparer of sumptuous food but cautioned her that the uncle generally is a big critic of food. It was a threat to Gayathri but she wanted to make an honest attempt to prepare the food herself. Finally, the uncle’s family arrived and the family and guests were assembled at the dinner table. Gayathri started serving the food to everyone even though she was very nervous. While serving, she said, “I learned every one of the dishes I serve here from my mother-in-law and sister-in-law without whom I can’t visualize preparing them to the taste of this family. Uncle, I know you love your sister’s and niece’s preparation and if you feel it tastes the same way today, you need to still give credit to them. If there is any taste variation, it is not their faulty training and it is my lack of effort to get it right.” The uncle praised the food and told that it was extremely tasty as he did not like her sister and niece to be upset under any circumstances.


    Most of the time, it is our own fearful mind that makes us fumble. A strong mind enjoys making a weak mind weaker. When we make the situation casual expressing fearless attitude, the stronger mind finds no opportunity to have a go at a weaker mind. It is all in our attitude to be fearless that converts a threat into an opportunity.
     
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  2. ramyaramani

    ramyaramani Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Instead of threat I call them challenges. Only positive attitude and hard work can help overcome challenges. Also nobody will believe in you unless you believe in yourself.
     
  3. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Thank you for your kind feedback and a summary of your views. You are absolutely right. They are challenges and I just decided to apply the pair of last two letters of the abbreviation "SWOT" in this blog.

    Viswa
     
  4. rgsrinivasan

    rgsrinivasan IL Hall of Fame

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    Nice Post Viswamitra. Learning, by doing it ourselves is perhaps the greatest way of remembering it for a much longer time. The happiness that comes to us, even if we had done a lot of mistakes in doing it, is unmatched. -rgs
     
  5. ramyaramani

    ramyaramani Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Love the last paragraph.
     
  6. InnerBliss

    InnerBliss Gold IL'ite

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    Super, Super and Super Like. You make me RICH :)

    Thank you for sharing your beautiful thoughts through such rich story.

    Have a good week.
    Anuradha
     
  7. Pallavi4me

    Pallavi4me Platinum IL'ite

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    A Nicestory and meaningfull message Viswamitra sir.

    Really your blogs serve as a motivational medicines to me sometimes.

    Loved the message you conveyed.

    -Pallavi
     
  8. seemasingh00

    seemasingh00 New IL'ite

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  9. Pallavi4me

    Pallavi4me Platinum IL'ite

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    Congratulations Viswamitra Sir for winning once again the Finest Blog award.

    -Pallavi
     
  10. InnerBliss

    InnerBliss Gold IL'ite

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    Congratulations Sir for this blog getting the right place to stand :)

    Your each thought is unique and precious anyway and I am happy that I would be able to see your this blog in the list of the finest!

    Please Keep enriching us :)
    Anuradha
     

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