Mayowa Oluyede

Tony Robbins once said, ”no matter how bad or slow things go, you’re still way ahead of everyone who isn’t even trying.” When I read that, I felt it is so true, and that he was right. But then, it occurred to me that ‘trying’ doesn’t change the fact that we all experience difficult moments in life.

At some point, each of us faces disappointment, or any form of loss, in one or two areas of our lives. Sometimes, these experiences are self-inflicted, and most times they are not. For instance, look at the year 2020 and you will agree with me that the world has experienced adversity. From coronavirus to the economic crisis and the change in how things are done, yet we have to stay resilient against adversity no matter how tough things get.

Fortunately, you can find resilience even in the toughest circumstances by focusing on a few proven strategies.

What Is Resilience?

Resilience is the ability to effectively cope with difficult life-changing events. It is also the capacity to make realistic plans and execute them, even when you don’t want to. This may mean allowing yourself to experience painful emotions, solving hard problems, or taking action when you’d prefer to step back.

However, being resilient doesn’t mean that these difficult moments goes away. What it means is that we now have the tools to better cope with life and to bounce back from the stresses, trauma, and difficult situations that are a part of life.

Hard times happen. But luckily, scientists have found out that resilience is a skill and not necessarily a natural trait that some people have over others.

5 Ways to be Resilient in the Face of Adversity Like Highly Successful People

1. Embrace adversity as a chance for opportunity.

Life is full of adversity and struggle. It’s through hard times that we learn the most important lessons in life and build resilience. Adversity often presents opportunities we might otherwise miss. Now is your chance to dig deep and face this obstacle head-on.

Hard times present you with the chance to change course, reinvent yourself or find an undiscovered bridge that will get you over this hurdle. Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, framed it this way: “Every adversity has the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.” The true secret to success is the ability to embrace adversity as a chance to change ourselves and our situation.

2. Refuse to give up.

To overcome a crisis, you need to be fully committed to finding a way forward. You must approach the problem determined and motivated. This will create a mindset where you look at adversity as something to overcome and solved, not passively accepted. Sometimes dilemmas and obstacles are a chance to create alternative paths, to dream bigger, to push forward, and take even larger leaps. But whatever you do, you can’t give up. Michael Jordan has famously said, “I’ve missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game-winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

If you refuse to give up, you will always go further than you expected.

3. Recognize your strength.

“Your strengths are like your superpowers, and they help you create a successful life that you love. To discover your strengths, start by delving into your past through a series of activities. Then assess yourself to find the traits and qualities innate within you.”

Look at other difficult periods in your past when you overcame a big disappointment or challenge. Remember how that experience teaches you that whatever happens, you can push through. By recognizing this, you will feel more empowered, as you strive to cope with your current, temporary difficulty.

4. Believe in your capabilities.

People who rebound from adversity begin by believing they can find a way forward. If you feel hopeless and powerless, it’s unlikely you’ll be successful.

Have self-confidence and a powerful belief in your capabilities to overcome tough times. Be open-minded and willing to leverage your talent, know-how, and ingenuity to overcome adversity.

5. Build relationships.

Research shows that strong, supportive relationships can be a powerful driving force behind resilience. Whether it’s friends, family, or co-workers, reach out for support, encouragement, and love during tough times.

That said, let me use the opportunity to remind you I mentor people, and I counsel on personal development and wealth creation through investing in properties, and the capital market (Forex trading). 

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However, don’t forget that to overcome difficult circumstances, we often need to take difficult steps. Even if it’s a very tiny step, it can be pivotal in allowing you to move forward.

Ordinary people rise above difficult circumstances every single day. By recognizing that you are not alone with dealing with life’s problems, you can inspire yourself to get up and keep moving.

Sources: Entrepreneur Mag. Foundation Counselling.

“You can’t know yourself without constantly asking questions, and you won’t grow if you think you have nothing to learn.”

Self-awareness in philosophy means experiencing one’s own personality. Therefore, being self-aware means knowing and focusing on yourself enough to watch your actions, thoughts, and emotions, and check if they align with your internal standards or values.

It means having a powerful realization of your personality, including strengths and weaknesses, thoughts and beliefs, emotions, and motivation. 

However, some people do not have the level of self-awareness that can help them foster personal growth. Below, I have put together 4 simple steps to developing self-awareness. 

1. Look at yourself objectively

Understanding one’s self might be an arduous process to go through, but with the right attitude, taking this step can be very rewarding. Looking at oneself objectively makes it easy to improve one’s self. But how do you do this? 

You start by being honest with yourself about your situation and capabilities. Psychologists call this cognitive dissonance, and it’s a defense mechanism we use to relieve the tension between who we are and who we believe we are.

If you want to feel good, keep pretending. But if you want to improve your relationships, career, business or health, be honest. See your flaws and you’ll stay teachable and grow.

2. Keep a journal

You can write anything and everything in a journal. Writing thoughts down on paper relieves stress and clears the mind for new ideas. Create a specific time each night to write about your thoughts, feelings, successes, and failures for the day. This helps to keep track of your daily progress or the lack of it, which will spur self-growth. 

As you write, think about your actions, how you led people, or how you helped people. Think about your core values and the most important things that you are grateful for at that moment. 

3. Outline goals and priorities

Write. This time, not just anything in your journal. This time, write your goals, your plans, and your priorities. But don’t forget to break the big goals into smaller goals, so it is less overwhelming. 

When we set goals and achieve them it creates a sense of self-awareness as we then get to realise our strengths, weakness, and potential. 

If you find it hard to set goals and achieve them, follow the SMART goal setting rule; setting specific, measurable, and achievable goals that are relevant and within a set timeframe. 

4. Reflect

Becoming highly self-aware requires self-reflection. I advise you to set aside time for this activity, if possible, every day to view yourself in the light that you desire. However, keep in mind that daily self- reflection is more effective when you write your thoughts down and when done in solitude. 

The poverty of solitude in our society is so extreme that we don’t even notice it. Take a walk alone regularly, and that small, invincible voice inside of you will speak again.

Many people get scared of admitting their weaknesses, challenges, and strengths. But I hope that this article has given you an insight into developing a level of self-awareness that fosters personal growth.