It's said that we are regularly faced with magnificent opportunities Brilliantly Disguised as impossible situations. I once read of a quick-thinking salesperson who uncovered such an opportunity which seemed, at first, to be a disaster.
With the presses set to run three million copies of Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 convention speech, the publisher discovered that permission had not been obtained to use photos of Roosevelt and his running mate, Governor Hiram Johnson of California. Copyright law put the penalty for such oversights at one dollar per copy.
Spotting a hidden opportunity, the chairperson of the campaign committee dictated a telegram to the Chicago studio that had taken the pictures: "Planning to issue three million copies of Roosevelt speech with pictures of Roosevelt and Johnson on cover. Great publicity opportunity for photographers. What will you pay us to use your photographs?"
The reply came back: "Appreciate opportunity, but can only pay $250." The campaign committee not only obtained the permission they needed, but came out $250 ahead!
Was the oversight a disaster or an opportunity? The answer, of course, depended on how they approached the problem. Perhaps that is why the Chinese word for "crisis" is written using the characters for "danger" and "opportunity." With a cool head and a little imagination, the danger in a crisis may be turned into an unexpected opportunity.
What hopeless problem are you currently facing? And what might happen if you approach it as a magnificent opportunity brilliantly disguised as an impossible situation?
About the Author:
Steve Goodier [email protected] is a professional speaker, consultant and author of numerous books. Visit his site for more information, or to sign up for his FREE newsletter of Life, Love and Laughter at http://LifeSupportSystem.com.
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