Adversity is our companion. Often, others view us not through the prism of our success but the lens of our response to adversity.
We embrace failure stories from many life arenas. Abraham Lincoln suffered lifelong depression, resulting in multiple breakdowns. During his early years, he endured the death of his brother, mother, and niece. Childhood death was routine during his time. He suffered beatings from his father and criticism for his scholarship. "Lincoln's melancholy" found deep roots, pervasive through his nomination and Presidency. His eleven year-old son died during his Presidency. Yet Harriet Beecher Stowe connected his weakness to his strength. Depression did not prevent him from preserving the Union, but perhaps drove him to preserve it.
Freud preached that our work and relationships defined us. His disciple, Viktor Frankl, in Man's Search for Meaning, wrote about a third domain, suffering. “In some way, suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning." And “when we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” He argued that his expertise came from being a professor in two fields, neurology and psychiatry, and a survivor...of four concentration camps.
Michael Jordan didn't make the Laney High School varsity as a sophomore. But he was a JV stud, a 5' 9" guard who scored over 40 points in multiple games. He had a 45 inning scoreless streak as a high school pitcher. Being a sophomore on JV didn't prevent him from scoring 35 points in his first varsity game or later starring at Garfinkel's Five-Star camp. He didn't win the state championship in high school, but assembled a championship college and pro career.
Speed skater Dan Jansen's bid for Olympic gold in 1988 ended with a catastrophic series of falls, closely related to his sister's death from leukemia. The 1992 Olympic 500m race also proved disappointing for the American champion...before he earned redemption in the 1000m race.
Heather Dorniden embodied relentlessness in her 600m race.
Anthony Robles didn't let what he couldn't do interfere with what he could do - become an NCAA Wrestling national champion.
It's good to have plans for times of need.
We choose how to fight our fight, to earn self-respect. Choose wisely.
