What to do when things don't happen as planned?

Life becomes challenging for most of us because things usually don't happen the way we plan and intend it to be, in both our personal and professional lives. In fact, we are often caught by things that happened unplanned and unexpectedly. Well, this is what life is all about!

Examples are numerous. Travel plans are cancelled unexpectedly. Sales targets are not met. Graduates are unemployed and employees are retrenched. Students could not get into the school or course of study of their choice; commuters could not get a taxi when they need it urgently and badly. Speakers and singers come down with sore throat or flu just before their performance.

Can we avoid or prevent them? If we can, by all means; but, if we can't, we have to find alternative ways to do it, get it done and achieve the planned results. To do that, we need to have a strong mental capability and capacity to adjust and adapt to new circumstances, so that we would still achieve our goals and results. We also need to be proactive, anticipate the problems that would likely occur and take preventive actions or formulate contingency plans.