Often the people who do well in life are not those who graduated at the top of their class at school. It’s often those people that spot an opportunity in adversity and capitalize on it where other people only see the adversity.

My friend’s neighbor, Carla, found herself stranded one day without a car and without enough money for a taxi home. But she did have an idea, thanks to “flexible thinking.” Carla noticed a nearby pizza place, walked in, and ordered a pizza for delivery to her home. She waited for the delivery guy to get into his car with her pizza and hitched a ride. She was home in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed, while the pizza was still hot.

Creativity isn’t always about producing things. Sometimes people use their creativity to respond to unexpected challenges in everyday life.