Difficult. Have you ever been out for a drive on any roadway and encountered construction or some other obstacle (an accident, a rock slide, or washed out road) where you are not able to go any further and your plans have to change? Many of us fuss and fume over this and begrudgingly look for an alternative route to get to our destination.These “detours” often provide us with a much different view than we had planned and may deliver some surprising benefits that you had not anticipated. As with your everyday life and in your business there are always obstacles to moving towards the goals you have established.Many times things do not work out as you planned and alternatives ways to reach your goals have to be identified. These “detours” are to be welcomed as they may even provide a better solution than the one you had planned! Each one of these is a learning experience that actually makes you better prepared the next time you are faced with a similar situation. The real lesson is that these difficulties, which we sometimes describe as adversity, make us smarter, stronger, and more flexible in our approach to life.“Adversity is a severe instructor, set over us by one who knows us better than we do ourselves, as he loves us better too. He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper. This conflict with difficulty makes us acquainted with our object, and compels us to consider it in all its relations. It will not suffer us to be superficial.” — Edmund BurkeFor more information, visit the SBA website at www.smallbusinessadvisors.com , call 295-7832 or e-mail dhhills@ibl.bm. You can view past boosters at www.smallbusinessadvisors.com/boosters/indexhtmIf you wish to see articles on small business visit the FLIPBOARD App on your Smartphone look for the magazines — Bermuda Business Coach and if you have or know a person with diabetes also visit My Diabetes Life. Please assist me in spreading the word about diabetes. Thanks.