How to Overcome Adversity

Last Updated: August 25, 2021 Approved

Did you know that Albert Einstein didn’t speak at all for the first 3 years of his life? People thought he was lazy and unintelligent. Albert Einstein! But he never gave up and he pushed through adversity to become one of the most brilliant minds of all time. You don’t have to be a physics genius to overcome adversity in your own life, but it’s easy to feel overwhelmed sometimes. That’s why we’ve put together a list of ideas you can use to find a better way to deal with adversity and triumph over it.

1

Develop a positive mindset.

A positive mindset can make overcoming adversity easier. Try to remain optimistic whenever you’re faced with a difficult situation. While it’s true that you need to be realistic and see things clearly, if you view everything with a negative mindset, you’ll only see the bad things. Push out pessimistic thoughts and attitudes so you can focus on finding ways to keep pushing through adversity.^{[1]
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- Try to catch yourself whenever you’re thinking negative thoughts and turn them into positive thoughts. For instance, if you find yourself thinking, “I’ll never get this assignment done because I’m not good enough” you could flip it around with something like, “That’s not true, I’ve done assignments like this before, I know I can do it.”
- The more you turn your negative thoughts into positive thoughts, the more of a habit it will become.

2

Use your sense of humor.

Finding the humor in tough situations will make them less stressful. Sure, it might seem difficult to find something funny about a difficult situation. But laughing can help you cope with stress, release tension, and train your brain to be more positive. All of the benefits of having a good sense of humor can help you deal with adversity and overcome it.^{[2]
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- For instance, if you suddenly have to deal with a major problem at work like a shipping error or a missed deadline, saying something like, “Well, that’s just my luck isn’t it?” and laughing off the stress can help you deal with it.

3

Expect adversity and prepare for it.

Preparing yourself for adversity can make it easier to deal with. Adversity is pretty much a given in life, especially if you’re working toward a big goal. The key is to keep pushing and stay resilient in the face of it. It’s safe to assume that you’re going to face some struggles, so mentally prepare for it. Expect to have to deal with setbacks and difficulties and keep faith that you can overcome any adversity that comes your way.^{[3]
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- For instance, if you’re working on a creative project such as a painting or writing a book, you can expect that it will be hard work. You can also expect that some people may not like it and criticize it. But if you’re mentally prepared and ready for it, you can survive any adversity that comes your way.

4

Learn from others who have overcome adversity.

You can learn a lot from others about how to deal with adversity. Look to historical figures who survived and dealt with extraordinary adversity such as Helen Keller or Franklin Roosevelt. You can also look around you at people in your life who have dealt with adversity, such as friends, family members, or colleagues. Use their success stories as inspiration to help you keep pushing back against adversity.^{[4]
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- You also don’t need to look at real people. Some of the best literature involves people dealing with adversity. If there’s a book or a movie about someone overcoming difficulties that you connect with, use that as your own personal inspiration!
- Check out motivational speakers who have overcome a lot of adversity as well, such as Eric Alexander, David Goggins, or Jim Abbott.

5

Choose supportive and caring friends.

Your friends can give you a boost when you’re struggling. They’ll be the ones who will be there for you to build you up and support you. Be selective with the people you let in your life and choose positive people who accept your flaws and will keep pushing you when you feel overwhelmed.^{[5]
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- People with a negative outlook on life can weigh you down and won’t help you accomplish your goals. Stick with friends who care about you and your dreams.
- You could join a club or group to meet like-minded people if you'd like to make new friends.

6

Jot down your thoughts in a daily journal.

Writing out your thoughts can help you stay focused. It can help you give yourself feedback about your life, help you better understand your current situation, and help you think outside the box and find solutions to problems you’re dealing with. Try to spend a few minutes each day writing down whatever emotions, feelings, or thoughts come to mind. Write about things that were difficult or that you’re struggling with so you can think about potential solutions.^{[6]
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- You can keep a notebook as a journal or use a digital journal app on your phone or tablet.
- Another benefit is that you’ll be able to look back and reflect on how far you’ve come. You can become your own inspiration!

7

Think about the struggles you’ve been through.

Look to past hardships you’ve overcome for motivation. You’ve overcome hardships before and you can do it again. Think about a specific struggle you dealt with in the past. How did you do it? What got you through it? Use your past experiences to help boost your inner strength and resilience so you can face any new adversity that comes your way.^{[7]
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- For example, if you’re given a big new project at work, you could think about big assignments and projects you had to deal with in the past. You made it through them, you can make it through this new one.

8

Embrace the adversity.

Use adversity to learn and improve yourself. It’s often through difficult times that we learn the most. Adversity can be a great teacher. If you’re dealing with a problem that’s a result of a mistake you made, think about how you can avoid making the same mistake again. Use failure as a chance to look at your planning, preparation, and execution. Focus on areas you can improve so you can better deal with adversity in the future.^{[8]
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- For instance, if you failed to complete a project on time, you can look at how you managed your time and what mistakes you made. That way, you can do better next time.

9

Focus on ways to solve a problem.

Don’t worry about negative thoughts or anxieties. It’s easy to get stressed out or worried whenever you’re faced with a difficult situation. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Focus on finding a solution to adversity that you’re dealing with and ignore those negative thoughts.^{[9]
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- For instance, let’s say you wrote a poem and you submitted it to a poetry journal and it was rejected. Instead of focusing on the rejection, try focusing on improving your poem and sending it out to other journals.

10

Separate your emotions from a difficult situation.

Remove your emotions so you can see things objectively. Avoid making decisions if you’re feeling overwhelmed with emotion—good or bad. Emotions aren’t necessarily a bad thing, but they can make you irrational. Whenever you’re dealing with an adverse situation, take a moment to step back and assess it objectively, without any emotion. That can help you see things more clearly.^{[10]
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- Try to take a breath and avoid reacting to something if you’re really upset. Take a moment to calm down and then address the issue objectively.

11

Keep your long-term goals in mind.

Remember what you’re working towards to stay motivated. If you’re working towards a big goal, the truth is you’re likely to face some setbacks and adversity along the way. But when you do get dealt a difficult hand, keep your long-term goals in mind. Use it as motivation to keep pushing forward in the face of adversity.^{[11]
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- For instance, if you have a goal of becoming a successful singer, you may face some rejection on your journey. But by believing in yourself and focusing on your dream, you can push through it all.

12

Never give up.

Commit to finding a way to push through a crisis. When you’re faced with a problem, refuse to give in or accept defeat. Instead, approach the problem with determination and resolve yourself to overcoming it. Push forward through adversity and never quit.^{[12]
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- Michael Jordan famously said that he’s missed more than 9,000 shots in his career, lost almost 300 games, and missed 26 game-winning shots. But he never gave up!

Expert Q&A

Question

What can I do to fight against adversity?

Rahti Gorfien, PCC
Life Coach
Rahti Gorfien is a Life Coach and the Founder of Creative Calling Coaching, LLC. She specializes in working with artists, entrepreneurs, and college students in creative fields. Rahti is accredited as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coach Federation, an ACCG Accredited ADHD Coach by the ADD Coach Academy, and a Career Specialty Services Provider (CSS). In addition, she has personal experience in the fields she coaches - she is an alumnus of the New York University Graduate Acting program and has been a working theater artist for over 30 years. She was voted one of the 15 Best Life Coaches in New York City by Expertise in 2018.

Rahti Gorfien, PCC

Life Coach

Expert Answer

Know that you can say no to people and you don't have to care what they think of you. The only person you need to make happy is yourself.