Exploiting the negative is an interesting theory:
“If everyone tried following their bliss everyone would be trying to get to the same place at the same time. It’d be a fucking traffic jam. But since no one likes going into the negative there’s more room for opportunity – less competition, less traffic.â€
This isn’t about trying to make lemonade because all you have is lemons though there are probably a hundred business plans out there which tell you how to exploit the fact you have a job lot of T-shirts/odd-sized boxes/carpet remainders.
This is about actually exploiting the negative. Look inside the places where you are lacking, where you have failed, and see what can be made of them.
It’s taken a lot of soul searching but it’s sorta worked for me. In many cases it’s meant letting go of some things which used to be vital to my continued existence.
For instance, dealing with separation and divorce means actually setting aside quality time with my kids rather than just living in the same house. The negative was unavoidable but I think it made a happier Dad and therefore happier kids.
Creating a profitable company frees you up a lot but when you fall out of love with the work you are doing, it means you can look for new challenges. You might learn to love the old work again, or you may find yourself a new muse.
Faced with a bad outcome, looking at ways to exploit it might just give you a renewed lease on life.