Eric Greitens, author of Resilience, defines resilience as “the virtue that enables people to move through hardship and become better.” That’s powerful. Resilience is not just about making it through or staying on your feet, it is also about learning from the challenge and growing. In my experience I have observed three ways people generate resilience.
Find purpose. The core of resilience is working toward something that is bigger than yourself. When you have a sense of purpose, the ability to keep going comes much easier. It doesn’t feel like work. If your challenge aligns with your purpose, be grateful for the opportunity to spend your time working toward something meaningful.
Stay present. A friend recently reminded me of a great Zen story called “Two Monks and a Woman“. In the story a young monk takes issue with an older monk for breaking vows to help a woman cross a river. The older monk replies “Brother, I set her down on the other side of the river, why are you still carrying her?” Resilience requires us to process past events but then leave them behind to stay focused on the present moment.
Invent & evolve. At Mobify, Invent & Evolve is a key leadership principle. The core concept is that we experiment and iterate in all areas of our business and that “safety to fail spurs innovation”. I recently spoke to a group of school kids on how the Wright Brothers failed over and over again until they were successful. The ability to learn from what didn’t work and evolve is fundamental to resilience.
Yoga and meditation prepare you for resilience. I meditate regularly on how things align with my purpose. Yoga and meditation techniques help me stay present and appreciate the opportunity to make a difference. Gratitude reminds me of the bigger picture and propels me to evolve in the face of adversity.
(Originally posted at ChiefYogaOfficer.com)