A Cut Above the RestSample

Glass Half Full?

Jochebed was not a woman who would take no for an answer. Unlike the rest of the Hebrew women who helplessly gave up their male children, she fought back by hiding hers for three months. What resourcefulness she must have possessed to hide a three-month-old baby from suspicious neighbours, nosy guests and searching soldiers. When she could no longer continue with the arrangement, she quickly came up with the ingenious idea of placing her child in a tar-coated papyrus basket and leaving it among the reeds in the banks of the River Nile. She even timed it such that Pharaoh’s daughter would chance upon the child. God honoured her by granting favour in the princess’ eyes and Moses was saved.

In 1982, All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists of pharmaceutical companies boycotted the Vicks Vaporub product due to a fight for higher margins, which resulted in a drop in sales. Since Vicks was labelled under the drug category, there was no way the people could fight back and still stay in the market. So, the composition of Vicks was reworked to incorporate ayurvedic ingredients. Vicks could then be classified under the ‘Ayurveda’ category and easily sold in departmental stores bypassing the pharmacies.

Every time you encounter a dead-end situation, instead of hitting the wall, again and again, take a step back, think hard and find a way to go around the block using a creative approach or out-of- the-box thinking. View the problem from a different angle. Try rephrasing the problem statement. Tinker with all possible ideas you can come up with, even if they seem crazy.

Somebody once said that when you draw your problem on a piece of paper, it begins to unravel. It helps you to detach yourself from the problem, and thereby de-clog your mind. Once you step outside of your predicament, new ideas, thoughts and solutions begin to trickle out of your mind easily. Sometimes, even retreating to a quiet place or doing something completely unrelated opens up new dimensions of thinking, and answers to problems come tumbling your way.

Dear Lord, open my eyes to see a world of opportunities, possibilities and potential in every situation, by Your grace. Amen