Sometimes you're in a groove and things come easy. But everyone hits rough patches, where they have to face challenges and overcome them. Believe it or not, those times can actually help you get better.
You set yourself apart by how you respond to those tough situations.
"Anyone can achieve success when things are going smoothly," said Bill Murphy, an Auburn, Mass.-based branch manager at Fairway Independent Mortgage and author of "Thriving In The Storm." "Nobody sees the grit and grind of overcoming and getting through things. That's where the magic happens."
Adversity is painful and stressful. But it can be beneficial in the long run.
"At the moment, it's excruciating," said Skip Prichard, chief executive of Columbus, Ohio-based library technology nonprofit OCLC and author of "The Book Of Mistakes" "But once you come through it you have a different perspective. We become tougher, stronger and more resilient. We're able to handle much more than we did before it."
Prichard talks to business leaders about dealing with multiple failures and what they learned. "When another crisis hits the business, it's nothing to them," Prichard said. "They've seen this before. They're different or the team is different because they've become something stronger."
It all starts by focusing on moving on from a setback, Murphy says. Sure, you have to deal with it and grieve the loss. But then it's time to find another way to reach your goal.
"The more time I wallow in my adversity and let it fester, that's more time that I'm not going to be working at a higher level," Murphy said. For example, a promotion won't come because you're pitying yourself. Gather others around you to help you get through the challenges.
Get Better With A Positive Outlook
React to adversity by adopting a positive mindset. Focus on what you've been blessed with, Murphy says.
"Be thankful," Murphy said. "That's the easiest way to get out of those low-level emotions."
Make peace with your past. Murphy was abused and neglected as a child. But he moved on and used that pain to propel him to success. Have a purpose that drives you. Murphy was always told as a kid he wasn't good enough.
"My purpose was, 'I'll show you,'" he said.
Harness the power of positivity, too. Murphy runs marathons and competes in Ironman triathlons. He did it in part by avoiding negativity and focusing on his goal. Prichard advises young people to take on the tough challenges. That way they can grow through adversity. Take the sales territory no one else wants or the project others say is impossible.
"If you don't master the art of overcoming adversity, you become susceptible and vulnerable instead of formidable," Prichard said.
Get Better By Turning A Setback Into An Opportunity
Inky Johnson was a star cornerback at the University of Tennessee in 2006 when he made a tackle and ruptured an artery, paralyzing his right arm. He nearly died. Johnson was on the cusp of reaching the NFL but the injury ended his playing career.
"He made all of that work for him," Prichard said. "He's one of the most powerful motivational speakers I've ever heard. He never questioned it. He channeled that adversity into a positive future."
Focus on giving back, Murphy says. That can fuel your drive to overcome adversity. Three years ago, he tore a muscle in his leg while training for the Boston Marathon. But he turned that into something positive by launching a fundraising drive through the Make-A-Wish Foundation and he completed another marathon while on crutches. He was able to raise 10 times the amount he would have otherwise. "It was a silver lining," he said.
View challenges as learning opportunities.
Prichard highlights the example of Walt Disney. His first studio went bankrupt. He moved to California and started another. His namesake company Walt Disney hit 100 years old this year, putting it among an elite group of firms to reach that milestone.
"He used the adversity and all the learnings to create this whole new world," he said.
