No matter what path we follow in life, there are times when we are going to get served “The Sandwich.”  Now, I’m not talking about a yummy sandwich where the aroma is so inviting that you can’t wait to pick it up and dig right in.  I am referring to a sandwich with rancid meat, moldy cheese, and a plethora of rotten condiments.  The kind of sandwich that doesn’t smell appetizing, doesn’t look appetizing, and certainly won’t taste any better than it looks.  In fact, one has to wonder (with all the great things that you do) how such a sandwich could even make it in front of you at all.  Recently, that’s a question that many of us have been asking, isn’t it?  How did I get this sandwich and what am I supposed to do with it?  Regardless of the size, stench, or the origin of your sandwich, you have 3 options when it gets put in front of you.

Option 1:  Turn Away
Turning your nose up and walking away does absolutely nothing to take care of the sandwich you’ve been served.  After you’ve tried to separate yourself from the sandwich, it’s still there.  As a matter of fact, the longer we let it sit on the table, the smellier, nastier, and more distasteful it becomes.  Eventually, if left completely unattended, it will stink up your whole house, office, or life.  This is rarely a good option (unless you’ve got plenty of air fresheners handy) and should be avoided at all costs.

Option 2:  Nibble and Complain
There are many parallels between option 1 and option 2.  Let’s also note that the sandwich fails to get more appetizing as it sits and oozes out onto the table.  The nibble and complain option is miserable for everyone concerned.   You are miserable because, with every tiny bite, you remind yourself how much you hate this sandwich and how much you are going to loathe taking the next bite.  The people around you are miserable because not only are they subjected to the smell but they also have to listen to you whine about the taste and how terrible it is that you got served this sandwich.  Sure, they’ll placate you and agree that it is a travesty that it got put in front of you but there isn’t one person in the vicinity of that foul stench that doesn’t wish you would’ve taken on this sandwich with option 3.

Option 3:  Take a BIG BITE and Ask For More
This option is all about tackling that sandwich “crust first” and not letting anything stand in your way in consuming every crumb.  You aren’t going to let the stink or the taste keep you from finishing every nasty little morsel of this sandwich.  No, you aren’t happy it got served to you but if you don’t take care of it, who will?  You can’t send it to someone else to eat when it was yours to devour.  Option 3 is all about your attitude in taking care of this problem sandwich.  If you couple that attitude with a rapid approach and steady effort you’ll have it consumed in no time.  Sure, your stomach might ache a bit after but you’ll feel better for having tackled it and others will admire your iron constitution.  This is the path of a champion and the one you want to use!

Getting served “The Sandwich” isn’t the end of the world nor will it be the last time it will get put in front of us.  How we deal with the sandwich comes down to how we want to live our life.  We can turn away or nibble and complain, but is that really living?  Our own personal growth and progression comes through how we work through adversity and tough times, not how we sail through life when everything is sugarplums and lollipops.  Taking a big bite of that sandwich and asking for more lets us know we are alive and, for that, we should be thankful!  Regardless of how foul it tastes right now, we will be stronger for having eaten it.  Personally or professionally, I have never had a time when picking Option 3 didn’t serve me well and spur great things in my life.  So, pick it up, open wide and start shoveling!  Mmmmmm….TASTES GOOD!