I wish life was a bed of roses

I wish life offers to us all what we want. I wish we get all we need by merely wishing for them.

Growing up as a kid, I had a lot of role models. From music to dance, to a big brother neighbour who dresses fantastically well. I admired these people for different reasons. Now, here is the interesting part. I thought they fell from the sky as they were. I thought they never had to break a sweat to be who they are. I thought life was a jolly ride.

Are you or have you ever been in this situation? Here is a hard truth. Tough times are an integral part of life. But this is not a Friday night fright story. Tough times do actually make us.

Here are 5 reasons you should never quit during tough times

  1. Every successful person had a tough time

Let me guess… Are you thinking “does this mean unsuccessful people never had tough times”? The answer is No. Successful and unsuccessful people go through tough times. The difference between one and the other is how they respond to that phase of their life.

Michael Jordan once said “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed”.

Michael Jordan went on to play 15 seasons in the MBA, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls. What if he had called it quit after losing his first 10 games?

  1. You learn more about yourself during tough times

Self-awareness is a needed soft skill for productivity in today’s’ workplace. During tough times, you unconsciously build self-awareness on different aspects of your life. You understand better how you deal with stress. You also understand your triggers and how to manage them.

If you pay attention, you will know your strength and weaknesses.

  1. You inspire others

Isn’t it great to be an inspiration? It sure is.

Ever read or heard inspiring stories like that of Nelson Mandela and Oprah Winfrey? You did because these people never gave up when the going got tough and their stories now inspire millions of people around the world.

  1. You can provide guidance

One of the greatest gift tough times hands you are the real-life experience that cannot be bought. Once loaded with this experience you can be a source of guidance to those who want to venture into where you have been before.

Holding on and going through those difficult courses during your 3rd year in school can give you enough experience to help you provide guidance to lower-level students.

  1. After dark comes Morning

You need to realise that just before the big win comes the hardest time. Tough times are an indication you are close to the finish line. You can make it through stronger and better only if you don’t quit.

We hope this article inspires you to build resilience for tough times and see tough times as a path to success.

 

Toritseju Omagbemi

Digital Content Coordinator