The Problem is Not the Problem

In some cases, attitude is everything.

A ballet dancer gets tripped up right before she goes onstage.

A waiter, who's having a great shift, walks up to a table and is summarily insulted by the person they're about to wait on.

A cord comes out of an amp right before the guitar solo.
Expert strumming and fretwork, but no sound.

How that guitarist handles things can really effect their proformance.

The mindset of the dancer can mean the difference as she steps in front of the audience.

The waiter's attitude...about the patron's attitude, will determine how happy the customers are, how well they tip, and really, how happy the waiter is when the meal is over.

To quote my favorite sea captain:
"The problem is not the problem.
The problem is your attitude about the problem."
          -Captain Jack Sparrow

Drop a wine glass on the dock, a plate of cheesecake on the floor,
or an oar in the water, and the odds are suddenly against you.
If you could somehow simply erase that one unfortunate moment,
you'd go on with the positive attitude you need, but that's not an option.

Freak out and they'll know what you're made of.
Let 'em see you sweat and you'll lose their confidence.
Sometimes the mark of a true professional is not how he or she handles things under ordinary circumstances, but rather under extraordinary ones.

Oh, and the really good ones have the ability to not only hide their reaction to the problem, but the problem itself.