Resiliency
How Resilient Are You?
Living Your Life Dreams & Goals Could Depend on It!
I teach a course in child homelessness. I am re-reading some materials on this issue. How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, by Paul Tough (I love that his last name is Tough and he writes about Grit) demonstrates that success is possible no matter our circumstances.
According to those who study success, resiliency is key.
How resilient are you? How successful do you want to be?
Resiliency: your ability to stick with a task until it’s completed, to have patience, and the skill to self-monitor your impulses.
If you are resilient, then when you’re faced with a challenging situation (could be one that you are happy about, could be one you dread), you will take the time it requires to have a positive, successful outcome.
One example cited in Tough’s book, and well known to most psychologists, is the ‘marshmallow test’. Children are offered one marshmallow, then the adult says they are leaving the room for a few minutes. They give the children this option: you can eat this one marshmallow when the adult leaves the room, but you will get an extra one if you wait until the adult returns. The researchers then followed these children for many years and discovered that those who could delay eating the marshmallow were more successful later in life. This is a very simplistic concept and there was much more to the study, but you get the point.
Once again, the qualities important for success are your ability to monitor impulse control (not eat the one marshmallow) and having patience (knowing it will be worth the wait). How often have you given up on something too soon? If something is really important to you (getting two marshmallows instead of one), you will find the necessary resiliency and patience (or not, it’s truly up to you).
Practice being patient, letting go of immediate gratification in small ways. Strengthen your resiliency muscle. To help you develop patience and resiliency order free Window of Opportunity guide. This is your Opportunity to take one step closer to achieving your life dreams and goals. Another step is to receive free weekly A to Z Clues to Abundance, just go to our Home Page, and sign up for your free weekly Clues-Letter.
Don’t forget to order free Window of Opportunity guide to take you one step closer to your life goals and dreams.
Wishing you as many marshmallows as you desire,
Dr. Jan
Jan facilitates national workshops for therapists and life coaches. She presents at conferences on topics related to holistic psychology and living your dreams.
