“Well, since I’m starving and won’t make it here in the ocean as a goldfish, I’d better become a shark!

“Good,” said Sammy. “I’m glad you said that. It’s such an important principle that I’m going to write it in this coral reef here with one of my shark’s teeth. That way if you forget the lessons I teach you or if you just need a reminder, you can always come back to this place. People always wonder why there are so many sharks’ teeth on the beach. Well, now they know. It’s because we love writing messages on rocks in the ocean. It’s a good thing our teeth grow back or else we wouldn’t be able to write or eat.” Sammy wrote on the coral reef: “Shark or Goldfish: It’s Your Choice” and it looked like this:

“Okay, I’m a shark now,” said Gordy. “Now what do I do?”

“Now you find food,” said Sammy. “That’s what we do. We swim and we look for food. Preferably seafood. It’s the healthy way to live and good for the heart.”

“But how?” said Gordy, whose decision to be a shark was quickly replaced by fear and doubt. “I never had to find food before. I’ve always been fed.”

“Let’s face it, I’m not shark. I’m a goldfish and I might as well just give up now. I’m a realist and accept my fate. I believe the wave that brought me into the ocean was the end for me.”

“Not so fast,” Sammy said. “Goldfish may give up, but sharks don’t. Don’t throw in the towel just yet. Sure, a big wave brought you into the ocean, but it doesn’t have to be to your demise. In fact, it could be a gift if you listen to old Sammy here. Sure, bad things happen. The world is not always a pleasant place. At times it seems like you are at the whim of the waves of change in your life. Waves hit.

“Are you joking?” Gordy asked. “After all, I’m a goldfish in an ocean with a shark who could make me his afternoon snack anytime he wants. What can I possibly control?”

“Oh, great question, my little appetizer—I mean, friend,” Sammy said jokingly. “As a goldfish, you are right; there is little within your control. You swim around in your little safe world waiting to be fed. You read your humans’ newspaper through the fishbowl while they read it. You listen to the music they listen to and twirl around when they come to say hello to you. There’s not much you control. But remember—you are no longer a goldfish and you’re not in your fishbowl anymore. You’re in the ocean and you are on your way to becoming a nice shark like me. And this means you don’t see yourself as a victim of circumstance. You don’t believe that you are at the whim of the ocean and negative events. Rather, as a shark in training you believe you can influence your situation and your outcome by your positive thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Yes, it’s true that you can’t control the events in your life. You can’t control the fact that you were hit hard by a wave of change. You can’t control the fact that the free food has dried up. You can’t control the actions of others. But you can control your positive thoughts and your positive responses to these events and challenges, and in turn this will determine the outcome. This principle is summed up by the Positive Shark Formula: Events (E) + Positive Response (P) = Outcome (O).”

“Does everyone know this formula?” Gordy asked.

“Unfortunately, they don’t,” answered Sammy. Too many fish allow the waves of life to crush them. Instead they must learn to ride them. The fact is, bad events happen to everyone. Everyone is tested in the ocean. Life is going to deal everyone waves of adversity and change, but what matters most is how you respond. For example, did you know there was a study conducted of the most successful and fulfilled sharks in the ocean? The researchers were surprised to learn that these highly successful sharks all had bad things happen to them, just like all the other fish in the ocean. But the successful ones did something different.”

“What’s that?” Gordy asked very curiously.

“They all used the bad event and turned it into good. While they were in the midst of their challenge they looked for the opportunity. As a result, they turned their misfortune into fortune. It’s proof that the positive shark formula works.”

“It’s all about perspective, isn’t it?” asked Gordy, who was starting to understand the power of the shark’s teaching.

“Yes, it is,” answered Sammy, who was glad Gordy hadn’t given up yet.

“Everyone will experience waves of change throughout life. Some waves will be small and others will be so powerful they turn your world upside down. But regardless of the size of the wave, the key is how you face it. You can make a wave of change your enemy by resisting it, which is like trying to swim against it. Or you can embrace the change, make it your friend, learn from it, and ride the wave.

It was such an important principle that he wrote it down on the coral:

“But how do I embrace and ride a wave of change?” Gordy asked.

“You trust that adversity is not the end, but the beginning of something better and greater,” Sammy answered. “You tell yourself a positive story. Instead of defining your life as a horror story you define it as an inspirational tale. And instead of seeing yourself as a victim you assume the role of a fighter and an overcomer. You believe everything happens for a reason and in the midst of your challenge, like the one you are facing now, you ask the right questions. You ask:

“But what if I don’t know the answer to these questions right now?” asked Gordy.

“No problem,” said Sammy. “Knowing the answers is not important right now. The key is to keep these questions in the back of your mind and seek the answers. Trust that the answers will be revealed to you as you embrace change as something that will lead to good in the future. You know, there is a myth,” Sammy continued, “that most of us embark on a quest to find our destiny. But rather it is through challenges and change that our destiny finds us. It is during these times that we slow down, press the pause button of life, and ask the important questions I just shared with you.”

“It’s almost as if the wave of change gives us the opportunity to start over,” Gordy said.

“Yes, indeed,” Sammy replied. “It’s as if the wave of change washed everything away and now you get a fresh start and the opportunity to decide what you really, really want. You ask the most important questions and this leads to life-changing answers, actions, and positive change.”

“I get it. I get it!” shouted Gordy, who was so excited he swam circles around the shark. “It’s all starting to make sense. I’m not going to give up. I’m not going to be a victim. I’m ready to go find some food. I’m ready to start fresh.”

“I’m excited that you’re excited,” Sammy said. “You are indeed ready to go find some food. Unfortunately, I can’t go with you today. I have some errands to do. Got a family to take care of, you know. So why don’t you take some time for yourself, utilize the principles we discussed, and we’ll meet back here tomorrow. Okay?”

“Sounds great,” said Gordy, who did a few twirls in the water, shouted, “I’ll see you tomorrow,” and raced off in search of food and a positive future. Along the way he picked up a shark’s tooth, put it in his mouth, and wrote little notes on rocks to himself related to what he had just learned from Sammy. He wrote: