What We Can Become Through Adversity
Adversity can indeed be a blessing… in disguise.
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Adversity is not always a bad thing.
It can be a veritable training ground towards developing leadership qualities and virtues.
In fact, it is as beneficial to the same degree as we perceive it as a disaster.
As Napoleon Hill rightly said, every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.
Reading is not enough. Experiencing is the only way to learn some veritable lessons and principles of life.
Combining books and experiences is by far the greatest.
‘’Some men learn all they know from books, others from life; both are narrow. The first is all theory, the second is all practical. — The Letter of A Self-Made Merchant to His Son.”
Here is a short story that illustrates that perfectly:
The University of Adversity
The Rev. Josiah Henson (1789 - 1883) was born as a slave. His parents and siblings were victims of the cruelty of slavery.
He led a life of suffering, experiencing and witnessing the horrible life of slaves.
Later he escaped to Canada and led a historic mission against slavery and apartheid. He was denied formal education, but by his own effort became a renowned scholar and distinguished communicator.
Impressed by his vast knowledge and attractive personality, the Archbishop of Canterbury once enquired about the university where he trained. He replied, " I studied at the University of Adversity."
Adversity Trains People.
This results from passing through difficult situations and outlasting.
Adversity doesn't just have an unpleasant side, it's the good one as well.
We can develop virtues like empathy, which is vital to managing people, and qualities like maintaining calmness during uncertainty. These are vital leadership virtues that cannot be developed in any other way.
Final thought
Adversity can be a veritable training ground towards developing leadership qualities and virtues.
Embrace them when they come and grow through the lessons they leave behind.
