The True Meaning of Resilience

Typically, when we think of resilience, we imagine that we are responding to some stress, some overload in the amount of work that we normally have; that we have to work longer hours, unsociable ones, weekends, or even nights.

We believe that “if it’s meant to be, then it’s up to me.”

That belief is a mixture of truth and lies.

 

Separating lies from the truth is difficult, especially in an age where everyone believes that they are the sole arbiters of such truth.

No doubt you have your own ideas about what is right or wrong.

The problem, of course, is that when you think that it’s all up to you, then you don’t leave any room for the possibility that it isn’t.

 

There are two parts to resilience, and it’s that other part which is minimized, overlooked, or ignored.

This is common among entrepreneurs.

Those who work for themselves tend to be their own worst taskmasters.

They are told by others who think like them that they have to push through, do whatever it takes, and accept that if there’s no pain, then there’s no gain.

And what happens is that these things taken together give us a distorted view of what resilience really is.

 

Sometimes we do have to push through; but other times, it’s wiser not to.

That’s the balance.

It’s the part that no one talks about.

You see, it’s more than being flexible to the extent that you’re willing go the extra mile or to push past the pain.

It’s also being flexible enough to throttle back, to alter your schedule, to revise your goals, and to relax and rest.

 

This is all about mindset.

Mindset is another one of those things that’s usually equated with doing more.

What you need to realize is that the way you think – what you believe to be true – governs what you’ll do.

It will determine one way or the other how you’ll behave.

If you’re convinced that the only way forward is to keep pushing, to never let up, to give 100% all the time, then you’ll burnout.

You won’t have anything in reserve to draw upon when you need it.

Your body, not to mention your mind, wasn’t designed to function like that.

Much as you would like it to be otherwise, you’re a human being; not a robot.

And come to think of it, even robots need maintenance.

 

That other side of resilience can be thought of as self-regulation – self-control.

These are not terms that are mentioned much these days in any quarter, whether among entrepreneurs or anybody else.

But, not only must you recognize that such a balance exists, you must also act accordingly.

Intellectual assent isn’t enough.

You have to put it into practice.

You have to do it. If you don’t, then by definition, you’re not resilient.

 

You can deny this all day long.

You can disbelieve it, or even ignore it.

But, whether or not you accept this, it won’t change that fact that this is the truth.

 

The Hack

Take some time off.

Go somewhere.

It doesn’t have to be across the ocean.

It could be 30 miles away.

The key is to get yourself into some unfamiliar surroundings.

Stay in a bed-and-breakfast, or a hotel, or even visit a friend.

But in your time away, find a quiet place to sit and think your schedule, your responsibilities, and your goals.

Then create a plan that you know you can follow that will help you to reorient everything so that you can get closer to what you want in the long-term.

It’s been said that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year, but underestimate what they can accomplish in a decade.

Think long-term, and then identify what you need to do on the day you get back to put you on that path.