Dr. Viktor Franklin believed our chief desire in life was meaning. Anxiety, depression, loneliness, and boredom are all problems that arise when you lack meaning in your life. In order to find meaning you have to embrace adversity. Embracing adversity improves many parts of your life, your quality of life will improve, your attitude will improve, and your motivation will improve. Your life becomes more meaningful when you embrace adversity.
“[A]n excellent book...” —The Economist Financial Times Asia editor David Pilling presents a fresh vision of Japan, drawing on his own deep experience, as well as observations from a cross section of Japanese citizenry, including novelist Haruki Murakami, former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, industrialists and bankers, activists and artists, teenagers and octogenarians. Through their voices, Pilling's Bending Adversity captures the dynamism and diversity of contemporary Japan. Pilling’s exploration begins with the 2011 triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown. His deep reporting reveals both Japan’s vulnerabilities and its resilience and pushes him to understand the country’s past through cycles of crisis and reconstruction. Japan’s survivalist mentality has carried it through tremendous hardship, but is also the source of great destruction: It was the nineteenth-century struggle to ward off colonial intent that resulted in Japan’s own imperial endeavor, culminating in the devastation of World War II. Even the postwar economic miracle—the manufacturing and commerce explosion that brought unprecedented economic growth and earned Japan international clout might have been a less pure victory than it seemed. In Bending Adversity Pilling questions what was lost in the country’s blind, aborted climb to #1. With the same rigor, he revisits 1990—the year the economic bubble burst, and the beginning of Japan’s “lost decades”—to ask if the turning point might be viewed differently. While financial struggle and national debt are a reality, post-growth Japan has also successfully maintained a stable standard of living and social cohesion. And while life has become less certain, opportunities—in particular for the young and for women—have diversified. Still, Japan is in many ways a country in recovery, working to find a way forward after the events of 2011 and decades of slow growth. Bending Adversity closes with a reflection on what the 2012 reelection of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and his radical antideflation policy, might mean for Japan and its future. Informed throughout by the insights shared by Pilling’s many interview subjects, Bending Adversity rigorously engages with the social, spiritual, financial, and political life of Japan to create a more nuanced representation of the oft-misunderstood island nation and its people. The Financial Times “David Pilling quotes a visiting MP from northern England, dazzled by Tokyo’s lights and awed by its bustling prosperity: ‘If this is a recession, I want one.’ Not the least of the merits of Pilling’s hugely enjoyable and perceptive book on Japan is that he places the denunciations of two allegedly “lost decades” in the context of what the country is really like and its actual achievements.” The Telegraph (UK) “Pilling, the Asia editor of the Financial Times, is perfectly placed to be our guide, and his insights are a real rarity when very few Western journalists communicate the essence of the world’s third-largest economy in anything but the most superficial ways. Here, there is a terrific selection of interview subjects mixed with great reportage and fact selection... he does get people to say wonderful things. The novelist Haruki Murakami tells him: “When we were rich, I hated this country”... well-written... valuable.” Publishers Weekly (starred): "A probing and insightful portrait of contemporary Japan."
All Leaders Face Adversity. Exceptional Leaders Thrive in It. Leadership is often a struggle, and yet strong taboos keep us from talking openly and honestly about our difficulties for fear of looking weak and seeming to lack confidence. But Steven Snyder shows that this discussion is vital—adversity is precisely what unlocks our greatest potential. Using real-life stories drawn from his extensive research studying 151 diverse episodes of leadership struggle—as well as from his experiences working with Bill Gates in the early years of Microsoft and as a CEO and executive coach—Snyder shows how to navigate intense challenges to achieve personal growth and organizational success. He details strategies for embracing struggle and offers a host of unique tools and hands-on practices to help you implement them. By mastering the art of struggle, you’ll be better equipped to meet life’s challenges and focus on what matters most. “Leadership and the Art of Struggle provides you with the opportunity to learn from Snyder’s remarkable wisdom. It is a living guide that you can return to time and time again as new situations arise.” —From the foreword by Bill George, former CEO, Medtronic; Professor of Management Practice, Harvard Business School; and author of the bestselling True North “The leadership book of the year...one of the most intelligent, revealing, and practical books on the subject I have ever read. It confronts a vital truth: that challenge is the crucible for greatness and that these adversities introduce us to ourselves.” —Jim Kouzes, coauthor of the bestselling The Leadership Challenge “Steven Snyder covers all the bases from channeling your energy to managing conflict, including a great segment about overcoming your leadership blind spots...This encouraging book is a must-read!” —Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager and Great Leaders Grow “Leadership and the Art of the Struggle gives you clear and compelling advice on transforming pitfalls into possibilities.” —Jodee Kozlak, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Target
Life is full of twists and turns - some joyful, some downright awful and others utterly bizarre. Whatever you're facing, The Little Book of Resilience provides a useful set of tools to help you deal with anything life throws your way. This little book is about strengthening ourselves, mentally, emotionally and physically, how to increase our resilience and, most importantly, maintain it. Discover how to utilize your skills and strengths to cope and recover from problems and setbacks, and learn to recognize unhealthy coping mechanisms. These helpful exercises and tips will encourage you to find purpose, have faith in your abilities, embrace change, establish goals and nuture yourself. The Little Book of Resilience is full of warm, loving, practical advice for anyone whose life isn't all plain sailing - and at one time or another, that is all of us.
"The Art of Adversity" is an inspiring and insightful guidebook written for anyone seeking to navigate life's ups and downs with resilience and grace. Drawing on the author's personal experiences of overcoming adversity, this work offers practical and effective strategies for transforming life's challenges into opportunities for personal growth and transformation. Whether you're facing a major setback or simply looking to enhance your mental toughness and resilience, you shall find valuable insights and actionable tips to help you overcome adversity and thrive. With a compassionate and supportive tone, the author shows readers how to cultivate a positive mindset, build self-awareness, and develop a sense of purpose and meaning in the face of adversity. Keywords: resilience, adversity, personal growth, mindfulness, gratitude, vulnerability, professional growth, transformation.
The Art of Resilience: Building Inner Strength to Overcome Challenges Life is full of challenges, but what separates those who crumble from those who thrive? Resilience. This ground breaking book is your ultimate guide to cultivating the inner strength needed to overcome adversity and emerge stronger. "The Art of Resilience" will take you on a transformative journey of self-discovery, where you'll: Uncover the secrets of resilience and mental fortitude. Develop powerful strategies to build an unbreakable mindset. Master practical tools to navigate challenges with confidence. Learn to bounce back from setbacks and emerge even better. Find inspiration in the stories of resilient individuals. More than just surviving, this book empowers you to thrive. With actionable steps and proven methods, you'll cultivate a growth mindset and learn to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. "The Art of Resilience" is your blueprint to becoming the architect of your own success. Order your copy today and unlock your limitless potential!
Get into the Navy SEAL mindset with this raw, brutally honest, in-your-face self-help guide that will teach you how to thrive on adversity. During the brutal crucible of Navy SEAL training, instructors often tell students to "embrace the suck." This phrase conveys the one lesson that is vital for any SEAL hopeful to learn: lean into the suffering and get comfortable being very uncomfortable. In this powerful, no-nonsense guide, Navy SEAL combat veteran turned leadership expert Brent Gleeson teaches you how to transform every area of your life—the Navy SEAL way. Can anyone develop this level of resilience? Gleeson breaks it down to a Challenge-Commitment-Control mindset. He reveals how resilient people view difficulties as a Challenge, where obstacles and failures are opportunities for growth. Next, they have a strong emotional Commitment to their goals and are not easily distracted or deterred. Finally, resilient people focus their energy on the things within their Control, rather than fixating on factors they can't impact. Embrace the Suck provides an actionable roadmap that empowers you to expand your comfort zone to live a more fulfilling, purpose-driven life. Through candid storytelling, behavioral science research, and plenty of self-deprecating humor, Gleeson shows you how to use pain as a pathway, reassess your values, remove temptation, build discipline, suffer with purpose, fail successfully, transform your mind, and achieve more of the goals you set
#1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller The Obstacle is the Way has become a cult classic, beloved by men and women around the world who apply its wisdom to become more successful at whatever they do. Its many fans include a former governor and movie star (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a hip hop icon (LL Cool J), an Irish tennis pro (James McGee), an NBC sportscaster (Michele Tafoya), and the coaches and players of winning teams like the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Cubs, and University of Texas men’s basketball team. The book draws its inspiration from stoicism, the ancient Greek philosophy of enduring pain or adversity with perseverance and resilience. Stoics focus on the things they can control, let go of everything else, and turn every new obstacle into an opportunity to get better, stronger, tougher. As Marcus Aurelius put it nearly 2000 years ago: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” Ryan Holiday shows us how some of the most successful people in history—from John D. Rockefeller to Amelia Earhart to Ulysses S. Grant to Steve Jobs—have applied stoicism to overcome difficult or even impossible situations. Their embrace of these principles ultimately mattered more than their natural intelligence, talents, or luck. If you’re feeling frustrated, demoralized, or stuck in a rut, this book can help you turn your problems into your biggest advantages. And along the way it will inspire you with dozens of true stories of the greats from every age and era.
Marriage, Movies, and Miracles. Oh, my! Marriage is a dance (even when you step on each other's toes), and movies are minefields of problems and politics, but miracles are more common than you might believe. Kevin and Sam show that if you keep your feet moving and your hearts focused on God's divine rhythm, you can discover successes you might never imagine. All it takes is a little faith. On Television and in film, Kevin has portrayed demi-gods and evil professors, while in his private life, he's battled his fair share of demons - the three strokes that left him nearly paralyzed and still partially blind. He credits his wife's "tough love" encouragement; nauseating, relentless optimism; and tireless, constant nagging for pulling him through some of the worst episodes in his recovery. Getting married to a fundamentally debilitated "Hercules" was something Sam never shied away from. In Kevin, she recognized the love of her life and determined to see him through thick and thin. The phrase goes, "for better or for worse," and Kevin often says, "She got the 'worse' part out of the way first!" Sam had confidence that Kevin would recover and thrive, and she put action to her faith. In their third year of married life, once doubt about Kevin's full recovery was laid aside, the near-newly-weds determined to build their family. That was going to be yet another trial for them to endure and conquer. They both credit their faith in God for pulling them through the tough times, and laying the foundation for their joy. That is how they came to make movies as a team. Christ said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Throughout True Faith, the Sorbos personify this verse as they embrace the struggles they meet and use their faith to bolster their responses. Be uplifted and inspired as you join Sam and Kevin on a journey through trials and triumphs, a couple of faithful Christians who work together, learn together, grieve together, and live life as Christ advocates: abundantly.
Discover how to embrace the imperfect with Kintsugi. Apply this ancient principle to your life and you will learn how to repair yourself, rebuild your life and love your flaws. Japanese Kintsugi masters delicately patch up broken ceramics with gold adhesive, leaving the restoration clearly visible to others. Psychologist Tomás Navarro believes that we should approach our lives with the same philosophy. Everyone faces suffering, but it is the way in which we overcome our troubles, and heal our emotional wounds, that is key. We shouldn't conceal our repairs, they are proof of our strength. Navarro presents real solutions to genuine problems that he has seen in his professional practice. His anecdotes demonstrate that it is possible to transform adversity or setbacks into a strength. His psychological understanding and perspective will leave you feeling courageous and prepared, should you experience misfortune, be it heartbreak, a job loss or bereavement. Often practised alongside Ikigai (or the art of finding one's life purpose), Kintsugi shows you how happiness can be found again, often against all odds. A painful experience can in fact make you a more determined individual, ready to face the world with optimism. 'Kintsugi, which translates as "golden joinery", is the latest lifestyle trend promising to transform our lives.' - The Telegraph
