Adversity Embracing Adversity for Achievement Chris Widener "Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity." Lou Holtz Success in life depends upon being strong people with clear goals and indomitable spirits. Unfortunately most of us aren’t born that way. We grow that way. And that growth can either come from us entering willfully into situations that will cause us to grow, like subscribing to Made for Success, or from the way we react when circumstances come upon us without our consent. The latter is what we call adversity. Most of us spend our lives trying to avoid adversity, and I guess that is just as well. We shouldn’t pursue adversity, but when she arrives, we should welcome her as a foe who, though our interaction with her, will make us into better people. Every contact we have with adversity gives us again the opportunity to grow personally and professionally and to forge our character into one that will achieve much later on. With that in mind, here are some thoughts on adversity, and how it can help you to succeed in every area of your life and achieve your dreams. Adversity brings out our resources. Horace said “Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it.” When everything is going well, we coast. There isn’t a lot of stress, and we don’t have to draw too much on the resources that reside within us. But when adversity comes we begin to draw upon each and every resource that we have in order to conquer the circumstances at hand. Adversity then, keeps us sharp. It keeps us using our personal muscle, if you will. That is a good thing because we grow through the use of our resources. Adversity brings us together with others. Sure a team can have their problems with each other, but when they step on the court, when they experience the adversity of facing another obstacle, they pull together. One for all and all for one, as they say. The next time you experience adversity of some kind, keep your eyes open for how it can bring you together with your family, your co-workers or your team. Then when you are through it, you will find a bond that was created that wasn’t there before. Adversity makes us better people with stronger characters. Never underestimate the power of adversity to shape us inwardly. How will courage, discipline and perseverance ever flourish if we are never tested? After adversity, we come out stronger people and able then to use our character and influence in an even greater way to lead those around us and to improve their lives as well as our own. Adversity makes life interesting. John Amatt said, “Without adversity, without change, life is boring.” How true. Have you noticed that while we are in the middle of adversity we only long to get out of it, but we then spend a lifetime recounting it to anyone who will listen? This is because it spices life up a little. Imagine how boring life would be if everything always went well, when there was never a mountain to be climbed. Here are some questions for you to reflect upon before I close: Q. If you are in the middle of some adversity right now, what resources are you drawing on? Who are you drawing closer to and working with? What part of your character is being tested, and built up? What can you do to view this adversity as one who will be better for it on the other side? Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit – Napoleon Hill kathy/simikathy.net

hello Kathy..you are right...it always seems to be an uphill battle...but you know when I get on the lump...there seems to be another...but actually I feel good when I make it over the lump...Larry

Hi Kathy,

Very wise words Kathy.  That is the way it should work.

HANG IN THERE, when you do you will always succeed. 

God will never ask you to do anything you can't do.

Have a wonderful day.

Pauline

Hi Kathy!  :-)

You always seem to have the best forums!  You rock! 

It is only by embracing adversity that we can grow as individuals.  Running away.....or choosing the path of "least resistence" - is not going to bring anything but complacency. 

"What doesn't kill you......can only make you stronger"

My 2 cents............

Excellent post.

Here are a few other quotes this brings to mind.
The one that's under my picture, "No hill for a climber".

If you can't go through it, and it's too big to jump over
you just have to dig  your hands and feet in and start
climbing. It might take a while, and it might even be painful
but just keep in mind what's at the top and keep going.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

If you didn't have adversity, you wouldn't have the need
to create solutions, and in creating the solutions, you might
be able to help someone else get over their own adversity.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

We all mess up sometimes, but if the only way we can
absolutely fail is if we stop trying. A drill seargent I had
once told me, "Pick yourself up, brush yourself off and
start all over again...and again..and again."

Practice makes perfect.

I learned this from the years I played in band. I wasn't
satisfied with anything less than perfection when I played
a song. So sometimes I would practice for hours just to
get one little bar just right. I was able to make first chair,
first clarinet by practicing daily and going over every single
piece of the music with a fine toothed comb until every single
note was perfect. Sure, I still made mistakes, but through
practice I also learned how to keep going and not let small
mistakes stop me. I also learned how to make a mistake sound
like it was meant to be.

Also on embracing adversity, I am thankful to God for the tests
he's brought me through. If I hadn't been tested, I would have
never realized how strong I really am. Looking back on my life
I really HAVE overcome a lot of things, and I'm still fighting to
overcome more, but I've made it through so much that it's not
as difficult as it once was, and I now know that these things
are just temporary and will bring me to a place of contentment
if I just keep breathing in and out and get through them.

One last quote and this one says it all.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Becky