“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant.” - Horace
Greetings Blog Family,
Sometimes in our lives things don’t seem to go our way. This is an universal experience. Life doesn’t like us all the time. However, this is never the time to get down on yourself because it just may be it is an opportunity.
If success and achievement has been falling into your lap all your life, you just may be missing out on the best parts of who you really are. This is because your attitude and situation often dictates the level of energy, ingenuity, and perseverance you put into an accomplishment or overcoming an obstacle.
Attitude is Everything
Your attitude is everything because it determines how you respond to a situation. If you have a poor attitude, you are not going to bare down on your back teeth and lean into a problem until it has been solved. In fact, if you have a bad attitude, you may not take on the problem at all. You may quit. (Gasp, I hate even saying that word because I am not a quitter and neither are my readers!)
Situations creates Opportunities
The situations life puts in you create the atmosphere needed to mold you, even if you think they are beating you down. It is creating an understanding in your life that you can take to future events, obstacles, and adversities.
Why is this important?
Because adversity is going to appear in your life no matter who you are. You just need the resolve to push through it. Stick with the fight for a while, you just may be surprised to discover that you have what it takes to overcome it and excel.
Blogosphere Example
My blogging example is Brillent Jeni, who is finally off vacation so she says. But she recently learned that the downturn in the economy has eliminated some of her cash in the bank. Check her story out here as she has blogged about the details.
Did she cry about it?
Well, maybe she did for a little while, but she has made this a personal challenge to herself to overcome this obstacle and double her funds by February 2009. Now, I am not saying that she wouldn’t be able to accomplish this without this hardship in her life, but it has definitely created the situation for her to prove to herself that she has the ability to make it happen.
Mixed with her great attitude, I am sure she will try new techniques, explore different money making opportunities, allow her ingenuity to strive, and make her goal by February 2009. Go Jeni go!
If Brillent Jeni can do it, so can you!
I’m flattered! But I do have to tell you, one of your earlier posts really had a big part in my quick “get over it- move on and do it better” attitude.
I really think it’s important to realize setbacks don’t have to be permanent. Like Freddie Taylor says, thought is possibility- focus is everything and no matter what happens in your life, there is no reason you cannot bounce back… like a dynamo!
BrilliantJENIs last blog post..BrilliantJENi is officially off vacation!
And focus is my biggest problem. I often think that if I can make it to working for myself, that I’ll occasionally pick up temp jobs, just to remind myself why I need to work hard.
I’m still just impressed all to heck that Jeni could do the 4 month vacation thing! That’s just awesome to me.
WordVixens last blog post..No, I Haven’t Forgotten About Squidoo
@ Jeni – Alright, I am glad that I could be a positive factor in your life. Means a lot to me because I know you are a go-getter and that is who I want all my readers to be.
Say it again, sister…set backs don’t have to be permanent!
@ Word Vixen – LOL! You don’t seem to lack focus to me, but if you say so, then I say FOCUS!!! LOL! No, I know what you mean. At times, I feel like I have been working for myself for too long and need a corporate job to remind myself how lucky I am. Then a client will call and I quickly remember that I need to work on the Internet and not have a physical world business.
The 4 month vacation is unheard of around these parts, but now that we know it is possible. We can do it to!!!!!!
Freddie,
I can definitely say that I would love for everything to go easily and that all my projects were successful with no resistance because well the would just be nice. However since that just doesn’t happen I thought I would tell you how right you are.
Setbacks can make or break you. If you let it get you down and are unable to work through it then it can really bring all your efforts to a halt. But if you can use it as motivation to keep it from happening again, or to overcome it you will be in a much better position and so will your endeavors.
Adam
@ Adam – Yes. I agree. It is amazing once you come through a storm the lessons and abilities that you pick up during the journey to carry forward in your life. This is why I tend to call adversity an opportunity. It is an opportunity to reach deep inside yourself and make it happen! This is an invaluable opportunity that doesn’t come when the sun is always shining….and we know it doesn’t shine forever.
Thanks for the comment!
Freddies last blog post..Quote of the Week: Adversity
In what I have came to learn, the difference between failure and success lies in the way we approach the adversity in life. We can either dwell on it or see it as an opportunity in disguise. Life is all about choices and what we choose determine our destiny.
This could be the most inspirational article I have seen so far here. I think you have found yourself a very good niche to be in.
Yan
Blog for Beginnerss last blog post..The Art of Writing Catchy Articles
Thanks Yan! I am really enjoying it. Working on my craft, appreciating my readers, and looking forward to sharing and motivating.
Glad you are liking it!
Good post and once again amazing quote. Thats definitely true. Hard times make people realize talents and skills that they would not have come across or made use of in times of prosperity. I really like your quotes. Keep it up man!
Enkay Blogs last blog post..Do You Inspire?
@ Enkay – Glad you like it. Horace really puts it down here. Make you think what talents are lying dormant inside of you know do to the fact that adversity isn’t in your backyard right now.
Keep searching and you will uncover them!