Adversity and MOTION

  I am thrilled to announce that my new book Called Into Motion : Lesson Plans for Life is available! Read more about it and get your copy at AuthorHouse.com. I would love any and all feedback! Beth

Perusing the Daily Good (Sept. 8 2012), I read a fascinating conversation between David Gergen, editor of U.S. News and World Report and Ben Carson, world-renowned neurosurgeon and author of The Big Picture: Getting Perspective on What's Really Important in Life.
When Dr. Carson's father left the family, he and his mother and brother wound up living in a tenement in Boston - "rats, roaches, gangs, sirens and murders". His classmates and teachers nicknamed him "dummy".

When asked by Gergen what message he has for the young people he speaks to, Carson talks about the loss of the can-do-attitude Americans used to have. He says it has been replaced with a what-can-you-do-for-me? attitude that must change if we are to maintain world prominence in technology and science. He notes that great civilizations and nations of the past "became enamored of lifestyles of the rich and famous, sort of lost their moral compass, and forgot about the things that made them into great nations, and deteriorated."

"You know, the brain can process two million bits of information per second. It remembers everything you've ever seen, everything you've ever heard, and with brains like these, we really shouldn't be wandering around talking about what we can't do; we should be trying to create an atmosphere that helps our young people to realize that, whatever they can imagine, they can achieve."

One of Dr. Carson's basic messages is about hardship - "The thing that I think makes for a successful life is learning how to navigate through those problems, using the appropriate amount of perspective, and making yourself valuable, not only to yourself, but to the people around you. I think that's what true success is all about, and that's my message."

I think Dr. Carson is sending a beautiful and much needed message to our young people. In my new book, Called Into Motion, one of the Lesson Plans is Blessed by Misfortune. We can't choose our circumstances but we can choose how we respond to them. Helping our children (and ourselves) to develop a healthy relationship with trying and failing, and trying again is a great gift. When coaching clients tell me about a challenge or difficulty I encourage them to reframe it. I ask, "How is this also good?" For each of us, if we will allow it to, adversity sharpens and shapes us. How has adversity shaped you - positively or negatively? What are your tools for successfully navigating adversity?
Please share your thoughts. Wednesday I will be sharing more of Dr. Carson's wisdom and brilliance and how he went from "Dummy" to top of his field.
Blessings, 
Beth
p.s. Dr. Carson was appointed head of brain surgery for children at Johns Hopkins University at the age of 33. Today, at 48, he is world renowned in the field of neurosurgery,  separating siamese twins and performing ground breaking brain surgery. Not bad for a dummy...