Turn Obstacles into Assets

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Successful people work with what they have to achieve their goals. This includes surprises, obstacles, and even disappointments. Next time you face a challenge, think about how it can help you. Use negative feedback to gauge whether to invest more resources or pull the plug before it’s too late. Take your boss’ rejection of your idea as a chance to come up with a better one that she will love. Use discouraging market research findings about your product to develop a feature that customers can’t live without. Instead of setbacks, see these events as gifts and make them work for you.

Adapted from “How to Turn an Obstacle into an Asset” by Leonard A. Schlesinger, Charles F. Kiefer, and Paul B. Brown.

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