Life has a way of dealing us cards that never appear to add up to much. Furthermore, when the bad cards continue for some time, they regrettably discourage people so much that these disheartened folks throw in the towel and essentially give up. Unlike a child, who has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the lunatic. It is only you and I, with our arguably large brains and tiny hearts, who doubt, overthink, hesitate and often wave the white flag. Yep ... surrender our dreams and aspirations!
When difficulties strike, the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit, but not if you are former Marine Lt. and motivational speaker Clede McClary, who says that we must FIDO (Forget It, Drive On!). Of course, none of us is a stranger to the pain of struggle. However, isn’t part of the excitement of reaching our goals to look back at the obstacles that we overcame and the pain we endured? Said differently, our struggles often make our victory that much more satisfying and rewarding.
I do not profess any special wisdom in dealing with adversity, and I am certainly not qualified by trials I have endured. Like most people, I have had my fair share of difficulties. However, I know that pain, suffering, stress and other worries are the admission tickets to the game of life.
In the end, for many of us, we realize that adversity is a valuable part of life, as it is through our pain and suffering that we develop the mental capacity to endure the toughest battles. When the messenger of misery pays me a visit, I simply refer to this as an “ouch moment.” Of course, the ouch hurts. It is frustrating. It is discouraging, but it is just an ouch that will most likely prove to be a valuable life lesson. Struggles are a beautiful thing, and we must believe that trials and hardships have a purpose. Let’s carry our “black-and-blues” proudly!
Perhaps like you, I have more flaws, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities than I do care to admit and a list of failures as long as my arm. My private experience with pain was horrible, but in the end, all of it was necessary for my personal growth. I have had so many ouches that I consider myself a consummate “ouchmaster!”
I suggest that if we become “ouchmasters,” we would view our setbacks and adversities in a significantly different light that would ultimately illuminate the path to our success. As “ouchmasters,” we do not give up, because we know that the more ouches we receive, the more likely we are to reach our dream. This is not about being tough; it is about having passion and belief in ourselves. Speaking of tough, I have been labeled a tough person. However, this “accolade” could not be further from the truth. Frankly, I have only been in two fights in my life, and my younger sister won both!
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