How to Accept Adversity and Struggle

By Bruce Lund, NEXTPERT

Topic: Career Development, Marketing, Networking, Personal Branding, Success Strategies, Reputation Management, Social Media, Entrepreneurship, Gen Y, Job Searching

www.nextpert.net

Recently, I was in studio for the Coach Micheal Burt Radio Show and the topic was Adversity and Struggle. An issue that we all have powerful emotions tied to, but most take a different approach to struggle than I now do thanks in large part to the discussion we had.

Adversity is simply an unwanted outcome and during the discussion, Coach Burt made a comment that stuck with me, “90 percent of the adversity we face is created by our own inability to act or acting in a way that is the stimulus to that adversity.”

I started to think about all the struggles I’ve had in my life and my contributions to those struggles and realized I played a major part nearly all of them. I also began to think about the lessons tied to these experiences and the person it has shaped me to become. With Gen Y often referred to as the “trophy” generation in getting roadblocks removed from our paths starting at an early age I realized that perseverance is a characteristic that is being removed from many lives as a result.

I come from humbling beginnings and was FORCED to struggle each day and also learned the necessary survival traits growing up and participating in sports. I often refer to my athletic career because of the many adversities it taught me to overcome and I used it as a release from life, but the greatest lessons I learned were as a result of my playing career. I fear that many of my generational peers aren’t receiving the necessary struggles growing up and the first sign of adversity they simply give up.

Nearly two years ago I moved to Nashville in hopes of making a better living for myself as I simply was not satisfied with the direction of my life. I struggled each day I was in this new city for nearly six months until my bleak future began to take a turn for the better. I was offered a position with the Nashville Sounds, a Minor League Baseball team, and worked 60-80 hours a week as an intern. This was after already having a career as a journalist for the second largest newspaper in Michigan, but I realized the cost of sale.

Everything that I had learned up to that point was how to handle adversity, but back to the new system that was introduced to me. This system puts everything into perspective and really takes away any excuses that we sometimes fall back on in identifying adversity in our lives. Don’t succumb to the pressure of taking the easy way out. Instead follow these five steps:

Stage I “The What Stage”

1. What has this taught me?
   • Instead of thinking “why me” understand that his can be used as a teaching tool in making yourself better and stronger.
2. What was my contribution to the adversity?
   • Realize that you, more than likely, played a large part in the adversity and make it a point to pinpoint your contributions.

Stage II “The Get Stage”

3. Get Stable
   • You initially may get emotional about this adversity, but until you get stable you cannot go about solving your problem.
4. Get Help
   • Throughout my practices I will constantly refer to mentors as a direct result of my growth and shaping the person I am today. Find these people as your support group.
5. Get Busy
   • Now that you both stable and understanding get a game plan in place to get better as a result of this adversity and become the best YOU! We all need to act world-class in all that we do and creating an effective game plan will allow for this to happen.

Remember, not all struggle and adversity is bad. In fact, adversity usually means change is coming, and change means you are growing. Go have a breakthrough, and not a breakdown, as a result of it!

At no point do I recommend whining, pouting, or blaming others for your adversity!

Bruce Lund is the Founder & CEO of NEXTPERT, a training and consulting firm offering insight and strategies to help recruit, train, and retain the best of the Next Generation leaders. Bruce is a Next Generation Expert completing his Ph.D. on the leadership of this unique group. Bruce has worked in and through many top organizations and teaches the whole self (Mind, Body, Heart, Spirit) approach in leading. He is seeking to become THE Leadership Expert Generation Y can count on for guidance to take them from where they are right now and teach them the distinctive habits of successful people to live an extraordinary life.