There are a lot of ups and downs when running any business.

I warn new coaches not to expect every day to be sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. Hopefully they get more good days than bad ones, but it’s not uncommon to experience soaring highs and crushing lows in every 24 hour span.

Mindset is key, and one thing I’ve learned over the years is that a negative can be turned into a positive if you look at it the right way.

I’m reminded of a story that I once read about Muhammad Ali:

When he was as kid (and known as Cassius Clay), his parents bought him a new bike for Christmas. They didn’t have much money, so it was a special gift for him, and he liked to show it off.

One day, Ali and his friends were peddling around his home town of Lousville when there was a sudden rainstorm. The boys found shelter by racing into the local auditorium, where an expo was taking place for home electronics and gadgets.

The boys wondered around the expo for the afternoon to stay dry. When they left that evening, they saw that their bikes had been stolen.

They ran all over the neighbourhood to try to find the them, but had no luck. Someone recommended that they report the stolen bikes to a police officer who was in the basement of the auditorium where the expo was being held.

There they met Joe Martin, an off-duty police officer who was training some young boxers, and Ali had his first brush with boxing. He was instantly hooked, and accepted Martin’s invitation to come back and start training.

Muhammad Ali went on to become “The Greatest” – a boxing, sport, and cultural icon of the 20th century. There’s a good chance that wouldn’t have happened if his bike hadn’t been stolen on that rainy day.

The first reaction to bad news is to label it as “bad”, but remember that there’s a chance it could become a good thing down the road.