Adversity is inevitable in life and mostly outside our control, what we can control though is our response to adversity. How we respond is a choice.
Let’s start by telling a story. There was a warrior who had to decide on how to ensure his success on the battlefield. He was about to send his army to fight against a mighty enemy whose men outnumbered his army. His men sailed to the enemy’s country, upon arrival they unloaded their equipment, and the warrior gave orders to burn the ships.
In addressing his men before the battle, he told them, you see these ships going up in smoke, that means we cannot leave these shores alive unless we win. You choose to Win or Perish. Retreating was not an option, and at the end of the battle, they won.
Like in the story, to win in life, we have to cut off all retreat sources, including our limiting beliefs. Shedding limiting beliefs placed on us as children or even as adults can be challenging, however, we can intentionally choose to move away from those beliefs.
The decision to do so shows our courage and strength of character. It is only then can we maintain the state of mind essential to success. That state of mind translates to a burning desire — a desire to win, overcome, and succeed.
Coming back to the story, the warrior had a burning desire for a victory which prompted his cause for action. He burnt the ships, and winning the battle became an obsession.
I believe that we are given divine moments to alter our circumstances (or adversity), they ought not to define us. So, we either change them by walking into opportunities or stay the same. We can be creative in seeking opportunities in adversity, it’s a choice we have to make no matter what.
My question is, what lessons are we learning through adversity?
I have learned patience and gratitude amongst other virtues when faced with adversities of many forms.
Wherever adversity places us, we can win. We just need to make a choice to adopt a winning mindset. Today is the day to stop accepting adversity as usual and fight back. If we take control of our minds, we’ll take control of our lives. WIN OR LOSE, YOU CHOOSE!
