25 Nov Respond or React?
Is there something in your life you’d like to fix? Possibly something close to your heart? What if, after trying your best and using all the resources and experts available, some problem remains unsolvable? Despite your efforts, it persists, and you learn the solution doesn’t exist. This is precisely why I wrote Hard Comes First. I’ve learned firsthand that growth arises from difficulty. Avoiding challenges isn’t always a viable solution; instead, embracing them and figuring out what you can change about yourself is often the right approach. In my case, there was divine intervention and a fresh outlook on life.
Author Ed Wile describes in Mean to Meaningful that some of the best learning can come through the School of Hard Knocks. The SHK model teaches some of life’s most important lessons that traditional school can’t teach. The molding that takes place in this critical school is often impactful for a lifetime, even though it is difficult at the time.
Viktor Frankl, in Man’s Search for Meaning, explains that “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. Frankl reminds us that although we can’t dictate every hardship, we do possess the freedom to choose our response.
Let’s proceed into the holidays with the reminder that choosing to respond is always better than reacting based on feelings. My book, Hard Comes First, offers a practical framework for living this out. Available Here for someone you care about or even yourself.
Reach out to me at rayra@wofford.edu or 864-809-8827 if I can help you.
Thank you,
Rod