A crises should not be viewed as anything less than an opportunity — however difficult it may seem — where people become aware of, and willing to, change their habits to get back on their feet, and not fall in the same hole twice.

Take the years of drought in the time of the second Muslim Caliph, for example, where people only ate bread and oil and cattle died of starvation, leaving no more than skin on bone. The Caliph, Umar ibn Al-Khattab RA, seized the opportunity by sharing food across the new territories, creating a sense of unity among the Arabs and new Muslims. Further, he himself, the ruler at the time, strived to be the poorest of the people, increasing the sense of justice in the land and encouraging others to practice patience throughout tough times.

As Rahm Emanuel put it, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”

(Idea from the book: The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg)