Principles for Success (2) Prepare for Crisis in Good Times

“What if we don’t have money to pay for you to go to school anymore? What are you going to do?” My mom teased me one day when I was a middle school student. Even though she was teasing me, her question made me think about crisis. I thought maybe I could try to be the best student in my class, to build good relationships with my teachers and hopefully if I needed help one day, one of my teachers could help me.

My mom’s question prompted me to prepare for crisis, to have a plan B, even in good times. So, I formed the habit of looking ahead, planning my next steps while I was doing what I needed to do now. It’s kind of like playing chess in my mind with an imagined partner.?

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I sometimes play out scenarios in my mind: If this happens, I do A. If that happens, I do B. Or, I will do A first, then if A goes well, I do B. If A doesn’t go well, B wouldn’t happen, then I do C. Over time, it has become a routine thinking exercise. Let me call it the crisis-anticipating mindset to make it simple. The crisis-anticipating mindset has helped me tremendously to achieve my long-term goals.

The word “crisis” in Chinese contain two separate characters “wei ji?(危机)” –?“wei”?means “danger” or “a dangerous situation” but?“ji”?means “opportunity” which indicates a turning point for something good.?Crisis is an opportunity in a critical situation.

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When I bump into an opportunity, I like giving it a try. If I succeed, there is gain – in knowledge, experience or relationship. If I fail, then I would immediately move on and not waste time on “yesterday’s event.” I had research friends in Australia (other colleagues who shared the same office with me) who noticed that I like trying things. I had another friend who said that I just wait for things to “fall on my lap” and then do my best from there. It seems this is the easiest way to grasp opportunities – you either “bump into” something you can try, or you keep working hard and meanwhile “wait for” something good to “fall on your lap.”

Looking back, every time there was a crisis in my life, I was pushed to a turning point, an opportunity to learn a new skill, to thrive, survive in a difficult situation and rise above and beyond my limits. For example, once I was caught in between a rock and a hard place when I was a foreign student in Sydney University, Australia. I had to write a master’s thesis of 25,000 words in one semester, though the project was normally designed to be completed in one year alongside two classes. I will detail later when I talk about Principle 9 – “Be Laser-focused at Times of Need.”?

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Have you had a crisis in your life? What have you learned from it? I hope you prepare for crisis in good times. That way, if there is a crisis, you are ready for it, and it will not impact you as much. If there is no crisis, being prepared can bring you peace of mind and there is nothing to lose.

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Principles for Success (3) - Relationships Are More Valuable Than Money