It is not unusual for us to encounter situations in our personal and professional lives that are frustrating or even result in feelings of anger. The cause of these frustrated feelings may be myriad, but what we do with those feelings of frustration can have a positive impact.
Take the example of what happened when George Crum became frustrated with a customer. An outcome of his frustration has become a much-loved snack food.
In 1853, George Crum was working as a chef at the Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, New York. He became frustrated with a customer who sent his meal back to the chef, complaining that the French fries were too thick. Crum cut them in half and sent them back to the customer. The customer continued to insist that the fries were still too thick and sent them back to the chef again.
Out of frustration, Crum cut them wafer thin, deep-fried them again so that they would shatter under the customer’s fork and sent the order back to the customer, who LOVED them. The Saratoga chips became popular and enjoyed by people throughout the northeastern part of the United States. Their popularity spread throughout the U.S., and ultimately the world. Today, some 150 years later, we are still consuming potato chips, a snack food success that arose out of frustration.
How many discoveries were made, businesses started, people who returned to school, inventions created and actions taken, which arose out of some frustration? In our everyday lives, we find ourselves confronted with some situation that thwarts our ability to accomplish some task important to us.
Some of us respond to frustration by seeing it as a challenge to be met. Others of us respond by giving up and walking away from the situation. How many opportunities are lost to us because we choose not to accept a challenge and attempt to correct a situation through our creative thought process and action?
Our lives are filled with situations that interfere with our ability to live a stress-free, happy and calm life. As we grow and mature emotionally, we learn to meet the challenges that come into our lives. We accept them as opportunities to be creative in our attempts to solve problems.
Who knows when our creative effort may result in a product or service that will have a positive impact on others, transcending geographical space and time?
Affirmation for the Week:
“I accept the challenges that frustrating events bring to me. I transition the emotion of frustration into the action of creation and, therefore, I make a difference.”
Have a chipper week!
Mary “Motivator” Rau-Foster