Adversity is a Matter of Mindset
“Pressure can burst pipes or create diamonds.” This decades old saying is a testament to the power that pressure holds. But how can we ensure that adversity in any shape or form yields diamonds of progress and positivity rather than burst the pipes of resilience and hope? Our reaction to this adversity is the key to creating a positive outcome with it. Although a positive mindset will not always be enough to overcome an obstacle, it is undoubtedly an effective step in the right direction.
How we respond to pressure—whether it be pressure we put on ourselves, pressure to challenge and change the world around us, or any adversity that challenges our ability to withstand pressure—is arguably more important than the direct outcome of it. There are several ways of responding to pressure by way of adversity. One response could be to let the adversity and pressure overtake us. Another response could be to become pessimistic about our ability to create change and to try to ignore the pressure. However, embracing pressure through adversity opens the opportunity to commit ourselves to change the situation around us for the better.
When we face challenges head on and decide that no matter the outcome, we will come out stronger, we become the masters of our own lives.
A common reaction to adversity and pressure is to become enveloped by it. Regardless of how mentally or physically strong any one person is, faltering in the face of pressure is always a possibility. By succumbing to pressure and adversity, we can reach a point of such damage and vulnerability that it can be nearly impossible to continue fighting for what we believe in. However, this reaction to pressure is truly dangerous because it pushes the victim towards quitting and possibly giving up on a truly meaningful cause. Picture a levy. If too many waves crash into the barrier without repair, it is only a matter of time before it breaks and a flood ensues. Very similarly, too much constant pressure can wear us down and cause an absolute flood over our lives—drowning our hopes and dreams.
Alternatively, another response to pressure could come in the form of cynicism leading to ignoring the problem. Similar to the aforementioned response to pressure, the loss of hope plays a major factor in fostering cynicism. Oftentimes, adversity can cause people to lose hope, until they become cynical and begin to think that whatever goals they had cannot be fulfilled. Pressure has the ability to change the most optimistic spirits into unhopeful creatures—believing they cannot truly alter their own surroundings. Picture a wildfire. If we believed we could do nothing to stop them and let them run rampant, they could destroy countless biomes and ecosystems. Likewise, we should never let the wildfires of pressure and adversity make our lives feel immovable or impenetrable; we must remain optimistic and hopeful to continue the fight for what we believe in.
In life, we only have so much control over what happens to us, but we always have full control of how we react to it.
So, how do we make the most out of pressure and adversity? The best way to approach a daunting situation is to take heed and impose our will on our surroundings to fight back the pressure we face. When we face challenges head on and decide that, no matter the outcome, we will come out stronger, we become the masters of our own lives. Whether we find the solutions to our problems and execute them, or we simply use them as an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the pressures we face, we have the ability to tame our demons. Maintaining this mentality in the face of pressure or adversity gives us control and puts us in a position to strive for our goals regardless of what may lie in our paths. By fully acknowledging that this pressure has great potential to yield positive outcomes, we can remain confident and steadfast in pursuing whatever venture calls out to us. As Professor Joseph Campbell once said: “Opportunities to find deeper power within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.” This mindset enables us to embrace pressure and produce countless positives from it. Picture an old tree in a tornado. The winds brutally whip at and sway the tree, but the tree’s roots are too deep and secure to become uprooted. We must dig deep and hold on with all of our might to avoid being ripped away from what we hold dear.
In life, we only have so much control over what will happen to us, but we always have full control of how we react to it. The philosophy that breeds the strongest characters and enables people to enact change is that which searches tirelessly for solutions to any obstacle and remains hopeful and focused in the presence of adversity. Rather than pressure controlling us, we, with the correct mindset, can wield pressure and adversity for our own purposes and improve any situation around us.