What makes you to Excel in Adversity!

After World War 2, economic and living conditions in Germany and Japan were in shambles. People and some leaders of these 2 countries excelled in the face of extreme challenges and achieved what is labeled as mystical and miraculous recovery. That catapulted both countries to be among top 5 economic power houses of world then.

Gentleman, who founded Apple Company in 1976, Steve Jobs was himself booted out in 1985. He defied human weaknesses and history, came back in 1997 stronger, only to lift Apple from ashes to make it the most valuable company of world!

Towards end of 2008, Ford Motor Company was nearly written off by most of its founding family members, when it decided to spurn US Congress offer for its bail- out and instead save itself through own efforts, a huge risk though! Its courage paid off. The iconic company achieved what is labeled as Epic Turn-around!

History has witnessed time and again that several path-breaking inventions, discoveries and revolutionary ideas became realities at the time battles or wars or crisis and that too in record time!

So, what are the secrets behind astonishing excellence in the face of adversities? 

The Secrets

Crisis or conflict, especially if of major nature, drives you to the brink. It brings worms out of the can, dirty linens out of the cupboards and hidden agendas out in open. It clears clouds and hence, clarity emerges on horizon for you with only binary options

“You can rise again or fall further, you can go good or burry in bad, you can swim or sink”.

If you push for the plus side, adversity would prompt and promote the following:

  1. Appetite for risk; because aversion to risk is even riskier at that point
  2. Boldness and buoyancy
  3. Courage to take challenges
  4. Determination and desire
  5. Eschew conflicts in interests
  6. Focused mind, as your singular motto is to come out of crisis
  7. Good team spirit and cohesion at work, if it is company or community or country with common goal/s and vision
  8. Hopes
  9. Inspire imagination and innovation

Some or all of above 9 elements “A–>I” enable you to excel as individual or group.

Why everyone does not excel in adversity?

There are 2 sides of everything, nature has created. Adversity can trigger either positivism or negativism. If an individual or a group is struck with negative side, then following elements would descend and dominate:

  1. Delusion
  2. Disbelief and despondency
  3. Desperation
  4. Depressive feelings
  5. Dogmatic ideas
  6. Disparate approach
  7. Defeatist thoughts
  8. Dictatorial leanings
  9. Directionless mind

This scenario and 9 Ds would be a drag, drain or even devastating. History is privy to the fact that when a person, company, community or country did not dare to remain positive, follow wiser counsel, adversity only brought crippling and debilitating impact!

Do you need adversity to excel?

No! Not all!!

Look at A–>I elements. These are real and relevant without adversity. Adversity only prompts and presents these very prominently to you. You have a clear choice to learn and live, embrace and execute these any time anywhere without waiting for adversities to befall and trouble you initially. Many successful persons and companies do this proactively all the time and keep crisis or conflicts at bay.

Real problem with most people is the inertia and inhibition to implement what they know as good. During normal life, they like to be busy with routine ruts and rituals, flick between good and bad, right and wrong and do not decide, which way to go, until they are hit with adversity. Some would then wake up and win by excelling and others would sleep or suffer.

So, what are your Choices?

Advent of adversity invariably brings binary options for you.

Note, no situation in human life is as clear and conspicuous as adversity! You have 50% chances to go on right side and balance 50% on wrong side. So, your choices are clear:

  1. Keep away adversity consciously and proactively by adopting “9 A–>I elements” as your singular choice, without compromise. Your performance would be Par Excellence. 
  2. Rule over adversity, if it comes, by choosing the right side. Pick one or more of 9 A–>I elements, you are comfortable with and stick around. You would be amazed to see how remaining elements would be automatically attracted towards you, make you to Excel and Dazzle.
  3. Get ruled by adversity. It would drive you to one or more of 9Ds above and then, you would be disgusted to see how balance of these would drag you deep down.

It is never too late to make Choice 1 or otherwise 2!

 

Comments

18 responses to “What makes you to Excel in Adversity!”

  1. Pankaj Gaonkar Avatar
    Pankaj Gaonkar

    Dear Mr. Lohia,
    Thank you for this inspiring post. As you rightly pointed out Adversity is an inseparable part of life & everybody at some or other point of their lives has to face it. History has proved that those with courage & sheer determination have risen victorious form these situations & those with negativity and fear sank & never rose above it.

    What I feel is that the Inertia & procrastination to implement that we all know is good ultimately invites adversity. Timely action taken can save us from facing such a situation and courage, perseverance & determination can help us in this.

    Thanks again for refreshing this concept in our minds! Cheers!!

    1. murli Avatar

      Thanks for your very well orchestrated comments and feedback! I indeed appreciate the same.

      It is true that adversity is inseparable part of our life. Also, it is not one time event; it shows up time and again in a variety of situations. It presents a great opportunity to Change!!

    2. Sunil Khanna Avatar
      Sunil Khanna

      Murali Sahab

      During 7 years that we worked together, I never realised the hidden talent and potenital that you have as a Inspirational Guru. All of us face adverseries in Life at various stages of our life, at home, with family, at work. Only those who are determined to face challanges, are courageous and learn from experience come out successfully and ready to face further challanges in life similingly.

      Thanks for sharing the concept. Examples as highlighted by you encourages us to face adverseries as part of life and come out as a better human being.

      1. murli Avatar

        I am overwhelmed by what you have mentioned and your views! These give me the inspiration; many thanks!!

        You are absolutely right on how to face adversities and convert the same into blessings.

  2. Sunil Khanna Avatar
    Sunil Khanna

    Murli Sahab

    I came accross the below article today. Thogught of sharing with you.

    How to Turn an Obstacle into an Asset
    11:01 AM Thursday February 23, 2012
    by Leonard A. Schlesinger, Charles F. Kiefer, and Paul B. Brown | Comments (23)

    Share on emailEmailShare PrintA popular post on this site,

    Nine Things Successful People Do Differently, provides a fabulous summary of what makes the difference between those who succeed and those who don’t. But, in our experience, it misses one really important “thing’: Successful people habitually turn obstacles into assets.

    People who succeed at work and in life believe and act as if “everything is a gift.” Well, maybe not every single thing imaginable. But assuming that everything is a gift is a good way of looking at the problems and surprises you’ll encounter in any endeavor, such as, for example, in getting a new venture off the ground, obtaining buy-in with your boss, or launching a new product line in an ultra-competitive market.

    Why should you react to a problem with gratitude, whether you are trying to start a business or create anything else? There are a number of reasons.

    First, you were going to find out eventually what people did and did not like about your idea. Better to learn it as soon as possible, before you sink more resources into the idea, venture or product line, etc.

    Second, the feedback could take you in another direction, or serve as a barrier to your competitors. You thought you wanted to open a restaurant, but a quick survey told you potential customers thought the area was saturated. But more than a few of them said they would love a place that simply had ready-to-go take out to heat up at home.

    Third, you got evidence. True, it was not what you were expecting or even wanted, but that still puts you ahead of the person who is just thinking about doing something (like opening a restaurant in your neighborhood.) You know something they don’t, and that is an asset. You are ahead of the game.

    But what if it’s really bad news. It’s a disappointment. You were absolutely certain that your boss would approve your idea for a new software program, and she said no in a way that is still echoing down the corridor. No reasonable person can define what you’ve encountered as anything but a problem, and most people will try to solve the problem. (“Maybe she will like the idea if I go at it this way instead.”) That’s fine if you can. The problem has gone away and, again, you’ve learned something that others might not know. (The boss hates Y, but she loves Z.)

    But what if you can’t solve it? (She hated “Z,” too.) Accept the situation to the point of embracing it. Take as a given that it won’t ever change, and turn it into an asset. What can you do with the “fact” that it won’t ever change? Maybe it presents a heretofore unseen opportunity. Maybe you build it into your product or service in a way that no competitor (having not acted) could imagine. Could you do it on your own? Could you take the idea to a competitor and use it as your calling card to look for the next job? Instead of resisting and lamenting it, treat it as a gift and turn it to your advantage.

    For a quick exercise showing that this is easier than you think, take a sheet of paper and divide it into three columns. In the left-hand column, list the obstacles and problems that are keeping you from your goal. Then spend five minutes figuring out as many ways as possible to solve these problems, and list those in the middle column. Show your list of problems and solutions to a friend, and ask them to build on your solutions. When you can’t think of anymore solutions, go back to the list of problems in the left-hand column and assume that they can’t ever be solved. Now take five minutes with your friend and figure out how those problems could be an asset or an unrecognized opportunity. Put these assets in the right-hand column. Chances are good that, having completed this exercise, you’ll turn at least one of your obstacles into an asset.

    The thing to remember is this: Successful people work with what they have at hand — whatever comes along — and try to use everything at their disposal in achieving their goals. And that is why they are grateful for surprises, obstacles, and even disappointments. It gives them more information and resources to draw upon.

    1. murli Avatar

      I cannot thank you enough for sharing very relevant and enlightening article! Good people always do good things!!

      Authors have brought out secrets behind success and successful people very well. Yes, there is nothing like considering “everything is a gift in the life” and to convert “Obstacles into Assets!”. Excellent indeed.

  3. murli Avatar

    To: Uday Chandgadkar Transferred from LinkedIn
    Date: May 24, 2012
    Dear Uday,

    I am very pleased with your feedback and resolve to excel.

    I indeed wish you to get there as early as possible! I would try to post your message on CYI site, so that guests could also benefit from same.

    Regards,

    Murli Lohia

    On 05/24/12 12:49 AM, Uday Chandgadkar wrote:
    ——————–
    Dear Mr. Lohia,

    Excellent. This article will help many to re-group / re-focus in personal as well as professional life to achieve excellence.

    Thank you.

    Uday Chandgadkar

  4. murli Avatar

    On 05/24/12 1:28 AM, Lyndon Berchy wrote: Transferred from LinkedIn
    ——————–
    Dear Murli

    I am more and more impressed with this sharing of ideas, I worked for one of the Largest Oil Companies in the World Exxonmobil , this assignment was in one of the worse most corrupted countries in the World Nigeria, Adversity to change the place and make it better is a task not for the faint hearted.
    I have seen the huge struggle the company faces in this location, I also realized that my leadership to make my department of 25 mechanics excel in their task and in themsleves will cause an impact to the whole operations.
    I did excatly this in the 3 1/2 years I was there, but in the sense of facing the adversity I also realize that it is a bigger task to change the cultural nature of people towards corruption in Countries like Nigeria, Its only when companies actively fight against this corruption and not turn a blind eye to it will they also come with the many adversity you face with a corrupted country, government and people in positions in the company.

    I really enjoy the reading and want to thank you for sharing, deeply appreciated.

    Lyndon Berchy

  5. Rudra Avatar
    Rudra

    A person can excel in adversity, he can astonish excellence in the face of adversities… if only “he has nothing to lose” or people who find themselves back on the ground zero. I don’t think any person who’s in the middle of his journey would want to take that risk of excelling himself by taking a HUGE risk. Probably Japan, Steve Jobs and Ford would not have got this much success if that huge “adversity” had not hit them.

    I think it’s the other way round – it’s the “adversity” that forces a person to “excel”… it’s the hard times that help in getting the best out of him, but again, as your post suggests at the beginning, not everyone is fortunate enough to come out good.

    If I can add one more aspect to your “A-I” elements, that is Luck, wouldn’t that make a bit more logic? Well, many people would argue saying Luck only happens when Preparation meets Opportunity, but I’ve really seen people excelling and coming out of their tough times with help of a little bit of luck as well – you need that, don’t you!!

    I know your post later talks about adversity not being the only and necessary thing for one to excel, but it certainly charges a person to achieve something, isn’t it!!

    Agree with your thoughts that in our normal lives, we like to be busy with routine ruts and rituals and do nothing until we are hit with adversity. Then only, some of us would wake up and win by excelling and others would sleep or suffer. But you got to agree that in today’s competitive and realistic world, people are not that proactive to deal with their adversities until it hits them and hits them hard… and probably that’s where your this very post plays its role… 🙂

    Cheers!!

    1. murli Avatar

      Many thanks! I respect your thoughts; but I suspect some of these need review. I appreciate that you have given me an opportunity to share my thoughts to help your review and change.

      Adversity does not necessarily force a person to excel. That is why majority of people have not excelled! As mentioned in the post, adversity provides a binary option – those who would choose to go on the right side have the distinct possibility to excel; but who would go back and forth will not and those who go on the wrong side, go down. History is a clear proof, whether it is a common person or community or company or country.

      Luck is the term, people like to use for situations they can’t comprehend or explain. Hence, how luck can stand to any logic?

      Everyone thinks, does and lives, whether one agrees or not, by her/his choice whether time is competitive, challenging or else. If opportunities come by, it again her/his choice to avail the same and be benefited. However, it also known that people have ready made excuses not to do that even!

      1. Rudra Avatar
        Rudra

        Yes of-course, my, probably a bit ‘immature’, thoughts at times do need some polishing and who better than you to guide me through 🙂

        That’s why I make sure I go through each of your posts, give my views, and then expect a much refined response from you!! That’s how you learn, don’t you??

        Thanks for your well elaborated and kind response!! 🙂

        1. murli Avatar

          Very true about how we learn! Your response is very illustrious and reflects positive attitude!! Stick to this and that would be the key for you to accomplish what you want.

  6. Mandar Thosar Avatar

    I think I have decoded the secret of this post – People who move on (From A to B to C and so on) are successful and those who just get stuck up at one place (D-D-D-D) are doomed.

    1. murli Avatar

      Your decoding is right on the dot. Thanks a lot for orchestrating that well!!

  7. shreya Avatar
    shreya

    Thank you Sir for Interesting post, especially the 9 A–>I elements . I am sure if we apply these points in work field it would definitely give excellet ouput.

    1. murli Avatar

      You are absolutely correct! I highly appreciate your comments and thanks!!

  8. Ravi Athalye Avatar
    Ravi Athalye

    Hello Murli,
    There is information amidst chaos. In product design when a product meets a spec and is tested for spec criteria a lot of potential information remains hidden. The only way to know more weaknesses is to test the product not to spec but to failure point and apply statistics at failure point.

    In a way life in some instances will present impossible situations that present binary outcomes as you point out. Swim or sink. I imagine these are stress points that will reveal robustness of values. What is one willing to let go (or failure in that attribute) for the sake of survival. (Swim vs sink). There are records in which humans desperate to survive did so by doing what was the only way…(even cannibalism)

    Dont know if fairness in treating employees , competition and yes conflicting thinking can yield the results that comes of extreme conflicts.

    Let me know your thoughts.

    Regards,

    Ravi

    1. murli Avatar

      You have drawn an interesting parallel between “failure point i.e. equivalent of adversity presenting binary options to detect strengths and weaknesses of a product” and “adversity, which a man faces..”. Thanks a lot for your comments.

      To your question in the last, extreme conflicts do present a man opportunity to change. Some do change and start doing what they did not earlier like fairness in treating employees, learning to face competition or conflicting (you probably mean contrarion) thinking. It is important to know that all these qualities and skills can come by one’s own efforts and consciousness, which is far better and enduring!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *