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The Benefits of Adversity

February 5, 2002

"Psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers asserts, 'The person interested in success has to learn to view failure as a healthy, inevitable part of the process of getting to the top.'  Adversity and the failure that often results from it should be expected in the process of succeeding, and they should be viewed as absolutely critical parts of it.  In fact, the benefits of adversity are many.  Consider these reasons to embrace adversity and persevere through it:

1. Adversity creates resilience.
2. Adversity develops maturity.
3. Adversity pushes the envelope of accepted performance.
4. Adversity provides greater opportunities.
5. Adversity prompts innovation.
6. Adversity recaps unexpected benefits.
7. Adversity motivates (Maxwell, 2000, pp. 115-119)."

Reference:  Maxwell, J.C. (2000).  Failing forward: turning mistakes into stepping-stones for success.  Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Do you embrace adversity?

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Created: 2008-12-13, Updated: 2009-01-07