Did you know that successful people still deal with adversity? It’s true. When you read the stories of many successful people, you will be surprised at just how adverse their situations were. They often tell their stories to inspire and help others learn how to overcome their own roadblocks to success.

It is important to read the stories of successful people. They contain gems of information and can act as a resource for you on your own personal journey. How they dealt with their roadblocks is often a source of real inspiration. When you become inspired, you increase your chances of successfully overcoming your own problems.

Inspiration may not last forever, however, it is a good place to start when you’re trying to move through problems that threaten to block your progress. If possible, try to set aside time to read one story of a successful person every month. It will increase your inspiration, and it will fuel ideas on how to use their stories to make your life better.

Sometimes their stories may be a little dated. However, their techniques may be timeless. A perfect example of this is Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. The stories themselves describe people and occupations of days long gone. But, his techniques are as valid today as they were back then.

Reading the stories of successful people shows that they are human, just like the rest of us. There isn’t anything superhuman about them that led them to their successes. You will find a common theme among those facing adversity. They had persistence and kept a good attitude. Those two attributes will take you far when facing any situation.

Here are 5 more ways that successful people deal with adversity:

1. Make peace with the problem: This is a huge strategy that oftentimes gets overlooked. Every situation, adverse circumstance, or problem doesn’t warrant a full-on fight. Instead of approaching every adversity in this overly aggressive manner, try making peace. Understand that most things happen for a reason. That reason may or may not have anything to do with you. Playing the victim or blaming others could be blocking you from seeing the solution. Try to lighten up and see how that works for you instead of against you.
2. Get clarity: When an obstacle begins to blur your vision. Try going back to the reason “why” you began this undertaking in the first place. Reengaging with your purpose can go along way in helping you deal with the adversity at hand. This will reignite your motivation and help you push through to success.
3. Become a lifelong learner: Most successful people are lifelong learners. They understand that learning from your mistakes goes with the territory. However, they don’t just learn from their mistakes. They also adapt behavior or process based on the lessons learned. As a result, they become smarter, stronger, and more resilient. Eventually, they will succeed.
4. Practice positive thinking: One of the best ways to overcome adversity is to cultivate a positive mindset. This is a mindset that says: “I can and I will.”, or, “This too shall pass.” In order to keep moving forward and plow through obstacles, you have to get your head in the game. Successful know this and prioritize it.
5. Refuse to give up on their dreams: Successful people never give up. They may make adjustments but they hold on to their vision. They will stand to the bitter end while others fall by the wayside. They believe in themselves and their vision more than they believe in the obstacles that they may be facing. They see obstacles as problems to be solved or weaknesses to overcome. They understand that in order to accomplish anything worthwhile, you have to stay in the game. They also recognized that if someone else overcame their shortcomings or other adversity, they can too.

As you develop the habit of studying successful people, you will begin to shift to a successful mindset yourself. Always remember that just because things don’t always go as expected, you have the power and ability to rise above adversity and reach your goals. As you commit to the process, you will find yourself transforming into the best version of YOU.

Be well + prosper,

Elaine xx