1. Adversity Introduces Us to Ourselves If We Want to Know Ourselves.
As the great Egyptian leader Anwar el-Sadat said, "Great suffering builds up a human being an puts him within the read of self-knowledge."
"Circumstances does not make the man; it reveals him to himself." -James Allen
Trying times are not the time to stop trying.
2. Adversity Is a Better Teacher Than Success If We Want to Learn from Adversity.
Philosopher and author Emmet Fox said, "It is the Law that many difficulties that can come to you at any time, no matter what they are, must be exactly what you need at the moment, to enable you to take the next step forward by overcoming them. The only real misfortune, the only real tragedy comes when we suffer without learning."
"Turn your wounds into wisdom." -Oprah Winfrey
3. Adversity Opens Doors for New Opportunities If We Want to Learn from It.
As speaker and cofounder of the Rich Dad Company, Kim Kiyosaki, observed, "Most of us are taught, beginning in kindergarten, that mistakes are bad. However often do you hear, 'Don't make a mistake!' In reality, the way we learn is by making mistakes. A mistake simply shows you something you didn't know. Once you make the mistake, the you know it. Think about the first time you touched a hot stove (the mistake). From making that mistake, you learned that if you touch a hot stove you get burned. A mistake isn't bad; it's there to teach you something."
4. Adversity Can Signal a coming Positive Transition If We Respond Correctly to it.
The life of a successful person is comprised of one transition after another. Being static isn't an option in life. Time is always moving forward. We can't stop it, nor can we stop its effects. We need to make chances and adversity can often be the catalyst.
5. Adversity Brings Profit as Well as Pain If We Expect and Plan for it.
Successful people expect to experience pain when they face adversity. They plan for it. And by planning for it, they set themselves up to benefit from it. Fred Smith once said, "I listened to Bob Richards, the Olympic gold medalist, interview younger Olympian winners of the gold. He asked them, 'What did you do when you began to hurt?' Fred points out that none of the Olympians were surprised by the question. They expected pain, and they had a strategy for dealing with it. As Bob Richards summed it up, "You never win the gold without hurting."
6. Adversity Writes Our Story and If Our Response is Right, the Story Will be Good
Performance psychologist Jim Loehr says, "Champions have taught us how to take an experience and essentially write the story of its effect. If you see a failure as an opportunity to learn and get better, it will be. If you perceive it as a mortal blow, it will be. In that way, the power of the story is more important than the experience itself."
"For ever hill I've had to climb
For every rock that bruised my feet
For all the blood and sweat and grime
For bling storms and burning heat
My heart sings but a grateful song
These were the things that made me strong."
by James Casey
