Thought For The Day

Benefits of Adversity

“Sweet are the uses of adversity which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head”
William Shakespeare

The Bard may have written these centuries ago, but his words are relevant even today. Everybody have their share of adversity though the intensity and the duration for which they face it vary significantly.

In today’s recessionary scenario, all of us are challenged in some way or the other. If you are a businessman you will clearly notice that people are more averse to spending. They would think twice or thrice before opening up their purses. If you are an employee you worry incessantly of lay offs and bankruptcies. Everybody has a crisis of confidence. Nobody is clear what the future holds forth. Your vision is foggy. Experts vary on the causes of the economic crisis, but are unanimous of one thing; that, it is by only harbouring an infectious enthusiasm, can we tackle the crisis. Only a positive approach towards life can help you weather the storm. You can generate a positive approach only if you believe in the adage ‘tough times never last but tough people do’. Further you should have the firm resolve in yourself that there are good things to be learnt from bad times.

Sir Isaac Newton, widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists the world has ever seen, overcame a period of adverse circumstances, which brought out the talent inside him. During his initial schooldays, he was considered a dull student. The class teacher had arranged the seating in the class in such a way that the bright students get to sit in the front benches while the laggards would be sitting in the back rows. Newton apart from being considered dim witted was also physically fragile and had short stature. Newton had a bully in his grammar class who was academically brighter and taller in physique. Unable to withstand the constant bullying, Newton one day decided to settle scores with his adversary. After a fight, Newton could overcome his bully. Next in Newton’s list was bettering the same bully in the intellectual space. In a short span of time Newton could not only beat the bully but had topped the class. Having got an impetus, Newton went looking for further challenges, and the rest, as they say, is history. While it is a fact that, Isaac Newton was someone who was incredibly talented, he bloomed only when faced with adversity. Similar examples abound in history, and in our daily life. The often quoted line, ‘The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire” is so very true.

With such a steely resolve, set forth to learn what you can from whatever adversity it is that has presented before you. Learn how you got into the problem. Learn what you can from the problem. Finally figure out how you can get out from the problem. It helps if you do a SWOT analysis of yourself. Management experts aver that constant introspection through a SWOT (SWOT stands for Strengths Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of yourself works miracles irrespective of whether you are an individual or a multi billion dollar corporation employing thousands of people. Further, taking stock of the crisis would help you learn things that times of prosperity never does. Bill Gates who used to challenge crisis and fears every day of his life as head of one of the most iconic companies of the world asserts that “Success is a lousy teacher”. Success breeds complacency in men. Failure and crisis, on the other hand, spawns new ways of thinking, makes people take stock of themselves, forcing them to work harder and eliminate wastages. The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger - but recognize the opportunity. Indeed it is wisely remarked, “No crisis should go wasted”