Recently when I was in Chicago taking a skyscraper history tour I saw firsthand how opportunity can come from adversity.
Chicago is the home of the first skyscraper. After the Great Fire in 1871 which destroyed the city, young architects, engineers and investors came to the city. They wanted to try out their new ideas and innovations. Skyscrapers were developed in the 1880’s. The Chicago skyline changed forever.
Today the city is known for its innovative and unique architecture. Often we face a bad situation or tragedy and only see the negative. We might even catastrophize (no, it is not in the dictionary) or only see ourselves as a victim.
We do not see how opportunity can arise. We cannot envision the next step or outcome since it has not been known or seen before. These times offer opportunities for creativity. They often require letting go of our old ways of thinking.
Ask yourself:
- What beliefs and assumptions am I holding?
- How are they serving me?
- What opportunity or different perspective might exist?
Just like the development of the skyscraper, it can be a time for building new things.