Are You Going Through Hell?

Winston Churchill once said, "If you are going through hell, keep going." So what do you do when you are going through a hard time? Do you sulk? Do you retreat? Maybe you complain to others or even worse take things out on those around you? If you said "yes" to any of the above, welcome to the club. The truth is, none of us are immune from trouble but we should never use hardship as an excuse to act unkind or unprofessional. As easy as that was to say, take it from someone who has failed many times, it’s a process.

The good news is that some of the best lessons I have learned is from really bad experiences and hardships. I believe that is why Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Trouble and hardship can truly be an asset if we use it to strengthen us. As I think about this idea, two processes that create value in the natural world come to mind. These processes and their result are very similar to our own life experiences.

When you want to purify gold, you put it in extreme heat and the impurities float to the top where it can be removed. If you’re like me, I have done things that I wasn’t proud of in the heat of the moment. But those moments have identified the things I needed to work on to be a better person. It sometimes takes a situation like this to really highlight those shortcomings.

In the past, I tried to steer away from pressure situations. I have quickly learned that it is those very situations that are preparing me for the next challenge. In the same way that diamonds are formed under immense pressure, we too can be shaped into someone amazing if we are willing to withstand the pressure situations. So as painful as it can be sometimes, I know these situation are making me better. Some of the most amazing people in the world are those who have been through pressure situations and have come out the other end stronger and better than ever. So if you find yourself under pressure, know that a great transformation is occurring if you don’t allow the situation to overtake you.

One final point. It’s important to remember that our situations are finite and they can't last forever. Try to take a step back from these moments and see how you can grow from these situations. Focus on what you can do to become a better person instead of the situations themselves. Whatever you do, keep moving forward!