Turning Catastrophe into Creative Action

A mentor of mine—a devoted husband and father—was diagnosed with cancer. His struggle was a real-life catastrophe that deeply affected everyone who knew him, inspiring us all to act with greater purpose.

In today’s media-driven culture, though, catastrophe has become a business model. Stories of endless crises keep us locked in a loop of doom, engaged but often feeling helpless. This cycle drains our energy and can leave us stuck.

The thing is, imagining worst-case scenarios only helps if it leads us to take meaningful action. Progress comes when we transform our fears into focus and forward movement. If the stories around us aren’t fueling growth, it’s time to shift our attention.

Catastrophizing is contagious, but we have the power to stop its spread. Let’s honor those who have inspired us by redirecting our energy toward what truly matters, using life’s challenges as fuel for positive change.