Clifton Kopp
In a nutshell, resilience is the ability to bounce back in the face of adversity.
Given the state of the world, I can’t think of a better trait.
Change in this life is a given.
When you’re resilient, you’re equipped to handle the many trials and tribulations life throws at you, like a Navy Seal going to battle.
So, ask yourself, are you truly resilient?
Well, if you’re unsure, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I’ll go through the traits of an extremely resilient person.
Once you get a clearer idea of things, you’ll know what areas to improve on.
Let’s get to it!
1) Adaptability
I’ll be honest, being closed off to new situations or ways of doing things is a liability.
As established, if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that change is inevitable.
Resilient people are generally welcoming of the new. They’re able to pivot, changing with change.
Instead of getting their feathers ruffled, they remain unphased by new circumstances, a mentality that typically means more effective results.
The late martial arts icon Bruce Lee has profoundly spoken about the advantages of being adaptable:
“If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot.”
2) Optimism
Who would you rather fight in the trenches with, someone who is perpetually resigned to impending doom or someone who is consistently optimistic?
Your outlook on things is often the decider of whether you succeed or not in this world.
You can be down fifteen points in the second half of a basketball game, but if you think it’s over, you’ll up losing by thirty.
Or you can stay optimistic, keep things competitive, and give your team a shot at winning down the wire.
By seeing the glass as half full, optimists always have success within their grasp, even in dire scenarios.
Have you seen the Netflix documentary The Trapped 13?
Well, basically it outlines the phenomenal story of a group of Thai boys (thirteen to be exact) who were rescued after weeks of being stranded deep inside a cave with no food, during Thai monsoon season.
It was a true global humanitarian effort–and an incredibly methodical one at that.
With the odds stacked against them, these boys would not have survived if it were not for their optimism, good humor, and positivity amidst some excruciatingly grim conditions.
In addition, the authorities and rescuers would not have succeeded had it not been for their own cautious optimism, despite being faced with seemingly insurmountable logistical hurdles.
3) Problem-solving skills
The thing is, it might be difficult to be completely optimistic or resilient if you don’t have the tools to back it up.
Resilient people know what they can bring to the table. They have a powerful belief in their abilities and competency levels.
One of the most crucial tools one can develop is the ability to problem-solve.
Instead of becoming completely overwhelmed by obstacles, the resilient person is able to sit down, break down the issues systematically, and find the best, most efficient solutions.
Resilient people don’t just curl into a ball and give up when faced with roadblocks, they have an almost built-in “how can we fix this?” mentality–something that is instantly activated even in the toughest of situations.
4) Strong social connections
Generally speaking, resilient people understand the value of community.
Now this doesn’t mean they’re social butterflies, completely depending on others to help them get through an issue.
Although they can handle things alone if need be, they know that having a firm support system to lean on when things get out of hand can be hugely beneficial.
Hell, even John Wick, yes, badass “lone” wolf, John Wick, had a ton of allies and pals all over town to help him get through his Herculean missions.
So, next time you think reaching out to others is a cop-out, just think: if tough-as-nails John Wick needed a plethora of friends throughout four films to help him defeat the evils of hi world, then chances are, so do you.
5) Self-awareness
Self-awareness and resilience go together like chips and salsa at your local Tex-Mex watering hole.
Self-aware folks have a deep and conscious understanding of who they are–they know their assets, weaknesses, triggers, and how they might react to challenges.
This knowledge allows them to navigate through life with a more defined sense of self.
In the face of adversity, they’re able to compartmentalize emotions, setting them aside where necessary, and tapping their relevant strengths.
While many might panic when faced with a crisis, the self-aware person responds rather than reacts, which ultimately means a greater success rate.
6) Growth mindset
I can’t tell you how many people I’ve come across who have let their shortcomings and failures permanently define them.
To the extremely resilient person, however, every setback is taken as a lesson, nothing more.
They have an inherent and deep-seated belief in their ability to learn, grow, and adapt in the face of obstacles.
They know that, as long as they’re alive, failure is always in the cards. Yet, they’ll continue to take risks, but moving forward, those risks will just be a bit more strategically calculated.
Steve Jobs faced an unprecedented crisis when he was canned from Apple in the mid-80s.
Instead of dwelling on self-pity and making excuses, he used his energy to pursue new ventures.
He started NeXT, a computer company that developed advanced operating systems. He also bought out Pixar, turning it into the big-time producing animation studio it is today.
In 1996, his former company Apple, became aware of the potential of NeXT’s software, and purchased the company, bringing Jobs back. And the rest is history.
Jobs’s hard-nosed resilience through all the obstacles didn’t just bring him back to Apple, he propelled the company to revolutionary and towering heights.
Final thoughts
When you develop your innate resilience as a person, you become, in a manner of speaking, bulletproof.
You’ll be able to handle the inevitable curve balls of life in stride, with composure and confidence, unafraid to try again.
In relationships, in business, and in any other important facet of life, resilience is almost always a prerequisite to some degree.
By being resilient, you’re separating yourself from the rest of the pack, standing tall amidst all the noise.
Keep on cultivating it, and don’t let up–you’ll get to where you want to be in no time.
