The aquarium fire and dumb luck

An aquarium stand held the fish’s tank above a shelf that contained several newspapers and magazines. The homeowner was using the stand to hide the electrical outlet in which the aquarium’s air pump was plugged into.

Unfortunately, a short circuit in the outlet lead to some sparks which ignited the papers under the tank. Seeing the fire, the homeowner dialed 911.

When firefighters arrived, the fire was already extinguished.

“As the papers burned,” the report concludes, “they heated the water in the aquarium. The water reached the point that seals holding the glass walls to form the aquarium ruptured, releasing many gallons of water. This sudden downward flood of water immediately extinguished the fire.”

The result, the Fire Department report reads was that no significant damage was done to the house. However, the report concludes, “All the fish died.”

In this case the old saying that no amount of planning can replace dumb luck and, in this case, certainly luck saved the day. Dumb luck can often help us get unexpected victories in our career. For true success, however, you need to have a clear career plan that will allow for continuous growth in your desired field.

In the case of the homeowners, the aquarium incident was dump luck.

However, to the fish, a better strategy would have been welcome.

About the author:

Rick Weaver has half a century’s experience in leadership development in retailing. He founded Max Impact Corporation, a leadership and business development consultancy company in 2002. His major accomplishments include working himself from stock clerk to director at a Fortune 50 retail chain and building a $40MM+ construction company in under 5 years. Today he works as an Executive Search Consultant matching management talent with the job culture for which they are uniquely wired.