Mastering the Art of Success(^)
WRIG HT
So what is your expertis e?
BLACK
I show p eople h ow to turn adversity into a competitive advantage.
WRIG HT
Well, your story certainly does get p eople’s attention. What do you
teach them in your presentations?
- Perspective: The way that we look at things affects how we deal
with life. Our outcomes in life are greatly dependant on our approach.
My time waiting in hospital taught me this valuable lesson. Being stuck
in a hospital for six months was not fun. There was every reason to
spend that time being resentful and angry, but while I spent a short
time doing that, I was blessed to move to a place where I focused more
on appreciating everything that was going well in my life. I realized that
despite my situation, I realized that despite the negative things that
were happening, there were many positive things as well.
In my presentations, I challenge people to face adversities w ith an
attitude of, let’s look for solutions instead of focusing on the problem.
No matter what you are faced with in your life, there are things to be
thankful for, things to learn, and ways to turn the negative experience
into a positive one. - Be present: So many people get caught up in the trap of worry.
Today’s hectic lifestyle can create an environment where we are so busy
trying to fix tomorrow’s problems that haven’t happened y et that we
miss out on the only thing we can do anything about, which is this
moment right here.
When I was t old th at I was at risk for sudden cardiac d eath, I
realized quickly that I had two choices: I could sit around and worry
about if and when my heart would stop, but if I did that I would go
crazy. My other choice was to realize th at I couldn’t control what might
ha ppen in ten minutes, in ten days, in t en hours. What I could c ontrol,
however, was how I lived this moment, right here, right now. I figured