The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But when it comes to their waters – they haven’t held many fish for decades. Naturally, the fishermen had to go further out into the sea to secure their supply of fish. Their fishing boats just got bigger and bigger.

The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took them to bring in the fish to the mainland – and into the markets. If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish lost their freshness and with it – the fresh taste the Japanese craved.

To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer – allowing for increased supplies. However, the Japanese could literally taste the difference between frozen and fresh fish. Frozen fish, of course, weren’t as appetizing as their fresh counterparts. To add to the trouble, the frozen sort fetched a lower price at the stores.

However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen and they did not like frozen fish either.

So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks to keep them alive.

Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish. The fishing industry faced an impending crisis! But today, it has got over that crisis and has emerged as one of the most important trades in that country! How did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan ?

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each tank. The shark eats a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state. The fish are challenged and hence are constantly on the move. And they survive and arrive in a healthy state! They command a higher price and are most sought-after. The challenge they face keeps them fresh!

Some of us are also living like fish that have been caught, we give in too easily, and we are not challenged. Some of us could use a Shark in our life. Consider new challenges and problems in your life as a shark – the challenges and problems can keep us motivated and moving forward. Without challenges we can become complacent, find life boring, and become inactive. Challenges in our lives can keep us moving forward.

Here are some of the benefits of being thrown in with a shark tank:

Sharks keep you fresh. To solve the challenges that face us, whether they’re everyday or extraordinary, means finding an innovative way to transform the source of the challenge. That’s a task that’s much easier to do when you can draw on the power of staying fresh, using new experiences to shape old ideas.

Sharks keep you engaged. Indifference is no longer an option. Every day is infused with your mission and the goals that will help you achieve it.

Sharks keep you challenged. Many people are mistrustful, even frightened, of new ideas. They buck at the idea that something will be challenging. But as leaders and innovators, we welcome challenges as the way to our greatest achievements.

Sharks won’t let you quit. Leaders are called to be tenacious. Cowards never start, the weak don’t finish, and leaders never quit. The right challenges and engagement won’t leave you any room to even think about it.

Sharks keep you on the move. As with the fish, a stagnant existence comes with bad side effects. Leadership favors those who are on the move, those who take action, those who come up with creative solutions.