This statement is the story of every successful life.  Everyone who achieves their dreams becomes an expert at snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.  This essential skill insures you get the best out of life, no matter what happens.  It’s impossible to always get exactly what you want.  Nevertheless, you can always take a bad situation and make it into something better.

I learned this lesson when I had a fracture of my left femur, and the fracture was slow to heal.  The fracture required a metal plate, pin, and five screws to keep it stable.  Unfortunately, the non-healing fracture interrupted my sailing voyage around the world.  I had already sailed from the east coast of the United States through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific Ocean to arrive in New Zealand.  Now the slowly healing fractures prevented me from continuing the trip.

Although, this was not a disaster of monumental proportions affecting people around the world, it was a personal disaster that affected my world.  You can’t safely sail thousands of miles offshore when you have a broken leg.  Sailing with an unhealed fracture is poor judgment and an unnecessary risk that could potentially put other people in danger.  I needed an alternate plan to take the bad thing that happened and turn it into something better.

I contacted the hospital in Saudi Arabia where I previously worked and asked if they could use my services for the next eight months while my fractures were healing.  They were happy for me to return to work, and I was happy to take a bad situation and make it into something better. 

Although I would have preferred to sail to Australia, that was neither prudent nor possible.  Eight months working in Arabia accomplished the healing of the femoral fracture and replenished my cruising funds as well.  When I returned to New Zealand eight months later, my body was ready for action and my cruising funds were in excellent shape. 

Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat wasn’t the only option.  I could have remained on my sailboat through the New Zealand winter while my fractures healed.  I would have been cold and uncomfortable, and I would have depleted my cruising funds as well.  It was a bad option that needed to be made into something better;  going to Arabia was definitely something better.

Excerpt from :

Zero Tolerance To Negative Thinking : Good-by Depression - Hello Positive Mind

David J Abbott M.D.