In our building blocks of success series, we tackle the various foundational blocks we believe are essential for success. Resilience is near the top of the list, because pursuing greatness almost always means you will face losses, mistakes and tough times along your journey. The ability to bounce back is so critical and we hope the stories below will inspire you to dig deep and discover more of your own resiliency.
Scott W. Prior
I’d have to say from my grandparents Solomon and Helena Moreno. They were two of the kindest, loving and hardest working people I ever knew. My grandpa was a hustler, sometimes working 2-4 jobs at a time. He and my great uncles came up from Guadalajara (illegally) when he was around 12. Read more>>
June Chiang
Developing resilience has been a process of understanding the relationship between the external world and where and how I fit into it. When life became the most challenging, it was an opportunity for transformation, learning and progress. Read more>>
Ilana Zweschi
Resilience is a key ingredient to being an artist– not even a successful artist, just an artist in general. The rejection is so constant, that without resilience, a person would simply stop being an artist, which is the only true form of “failure.” I of course allow myself to feel the sting of rejection in the moment, but then try to eventually see it as a single drop in the vast sea of art experiences that make up a lifetime. Read more>>
Vanessa Mitera
I had always dreamed of becoming an OBGYN, but life had other plans. When my parents divorced during my senior year of high school, my life took an unexpected turn. As the oldest of four, I had to work long hours to help support my family and couldn’t attend a university in person. I settled for a community college and changed my degree countless times as I kept getting placed on program waitlists. Read more>>
Ola Rondiak
My family history has been an essential source of resistance in my life. Stories of my family’s experiences living in Ukraine as well as stories from my maternal grandmother, Paraskevia Michniak, are strong stories that are woven into my art. In 1949 using fishbones for needles, threads from clothing and potato sacks for canvas, my grandmother secretly and at great risk embroidered beautiful pieces of art, while she was in the Gulag. Read more>>
Samantha Marvels
I’ll have to be cliche and credit my parents for resilience. My mother and father were both artists who found a way to make a middle-class living, and my father especially, was an example of perusing growth – even after he’d been a professional muralist & portrait artist for over 30 years. Read more>>
Sammy Maximin
I didn’t have it easy. And I didn’t have excuses. My mother was very strict on studying and rehearsing. By the time I was 8 years old, I was hopping the train to New York multiple times a week acting and modeling. I had auditions and bookings. I played the violin, so I was in rehearsals 3x a week. When it came to education, my mother wanted me in prep school – so in order to gain financial assistance I had to participate in the most rigorous education program for 2 years where I went to school on Saturdays and 6 weeks in the summer to study and prepare for an exam that would allow me in prep school. Read more>>
Christopher Harris
The idea of resilience is interesting. It embodies many facets and interpretations that can be applied to our lives. For me, resilience is a form of perseverance: no matter what, I’ll keep moving forward. I’ll overcome obstacles, navigate setbacks, and perform the necessary actions to stay true to myself. I believe people must accept a certain level of imbalance due to human nature, since we all must sometimes do things we’d rather avoid. Read more>>
Karen Jones
My strength and resilience come from the lessons I learned while growing up. Taking care of my father while watching my mother work hard to provide for our family was not easy, but it taught me the importance of hard work and perseverance. These qualities have helped me overcome challenges in my journey in the beauty industry and I am grateful for the lessons learned. Read more>>
Chaplain Liliana Maria
From knowing I had a God given purpose. Watching it slowly become a reality, despite some very difficult financial hardships. I had no one I could turn to. My whole life I have been the giver. From a small child. When I became the person in need people turned their backs. I had to develop inner strength to continue the bold journey. Painful and hard lessons. Read more>>
Stacey Drake
My resilience stems from a profound commitment to completing tasks not just adequately, but exceptionally well. This commitment becomes a driving force, pushing me to overcome challenges and accomplish what I set my mind to achieve. Read more>>
Mic Reed
By being on my own sine I was 14. I had to learn and grow up quickly. My Mother was killed when I was a baby and my Father wasn’t around, My Grandmother raised me but as I got older I Knew it was too much for her, especially growing up in the neighborhood that I grew up in, so at 14 I decided to go out in the world and explore but most importantly to find my true self. Read more>>
Tyler Prince
Definitely my Mama. She was one of the strongest people I’ve ever known. She instilled in me to never give up and to always be brave. At my lowest moments, when I’m absolutely ready to give up. I remind myself that what ever it is, it’s temporary. And Tomorrow is one step closer to where I’m supposed to be, My mom raised me to be a fighter, I couldn’t imagine it any other way. Read more>>
Airi Nishiguchi
I enjoy making jewelry so much, it is like a hobby for me that I turned into a full time effort that doesn’t feel like work at all. I can take myself into another headspace and work on crafting new designs for hours on end without even taking a break. This is my passion. Read more>>
Pam Uzzell
I remember going outside one day, probably when I was about 10 years old, and seeing that my older brother and next-door neighbor were taking turns climbing up a ladder and jumping off our roof onto the lawn below. My dad was also in the front yard, raking leaves as the two boys did this over and over. Wow! It looked really fun. I asked my dad, Can I jump off the roof, too? He looked at me, looked at the ladder and said, Sure. If you want to. Read more>>
Kenneth Simpson
When comes to my resilience I think it comes from my thought process that things will be better the next day or that these bad times will pass. This thought process has helped me get through some tough times. I think it also comes from just trying to be positive when everything around you looks dark. Read more>>
Julie DeLucca-Collins
I get my resilience from my grandmother, who has inspired me since childhood. At the age of 5, I witnessed her undergoing a leg amputation, yet she demonstrated remarkable strength in overcoming her disability. Her resilience has been a constant reminder for me that I can overcome any obstacle with tenacity and a commitment to learning from failures on the path to success. Read more>>
Leticia Saenz
In times of crisis, like the ongoing pandemic, the potential for transformation is truly remarkable. Uncertainty surrounds decisions, such as whether to proceed with the healthy food company project or to wait and observe the outcome once the pandemic concludes. However, amidst this ambiguity, the power of consistent prayer emerges as a guiding force. Read more>>
Alexis Robinson
When I think of the word resilience I imagine someone being adaptable, and adjusting to every obstacle thrown at them. Throughout my life I have experienced many obstacles, traumas, losses, and have had to break them down in order to be the successful mother, and nurse practitioner that I am today. Read more>>
Seth Singleton
I get my resilience from my parents and myself. My father grew up in a two-room dirt-floor house. He and his family picked cotton and grapes seasonally. The only way he could make sure he had enough money for food and clothing was to work for it. He gained a trade in the Air Force and suddenly his entire world opened up. Read more>>
Sarah Carvalho
I think my resilience comes from my innate desire to want to find solutions. With my career, I’m resilient despite multiple wrong turns and letdowns because I always want to find the right turn. In my life, I’m resilient through disappointments and unforeseen circumstances because I want to live a life that’s full and happy. Read more>>
Julia Camara Calvo
Inspiration and resilience go very much hand in hand for me. My life has been a big conglomerate of places, people, jobs… of many different lives within lives. Each iteration has had its challenges and joys, but they all have given me inspiration and fuel to move forward, always. Read more>>
Jessica Patching-Bunch
My resilience comes from a need to be. With a growing up time full of adversity from a very young age I had to develop some resilience to just keep going. Later in life I learned that resilience isn’t just about bouncing back quickly from stress and trauma, it’s about actively creating resilience within. At a place in my adult life where I was drowning in stress, anxiety, and unprocessed trauma I began having unexplained seizures and lost my brother to suicide within a few months. Read more>>
Michelle Grimm
As a ceramic artist I fail all the time but it’s my love for the process of creating and curiosity that always keeps me going. Things blow up, break in the kiln or crack due to changes in the environment after so many hours of work, but you acknowledge it and learn to move on. And move on quickly, the quicker the better! Read more>>
Mariela Henriquez
My resilience stems from striving to give my future self peace and tranquility. My goal is to be in a place where I am confident, strong, and above all, happy. Read more>>
Kameishia Wooten
I believe my resilience is innate, as I’ve always had a very determined personality. However, it’s been significantly nurtured by my spiritual beliefs and the support system around me. My faith teaches me that trials and suffering lead to perseverance, a principle I hold close to my heart. Throughout challenging times, I’ve consistently relied on my faith, alongside the encouragement from family and friends. Read more>>
Maria Korcsmaros
I believe my resilience comes from many places. It has its roots in my family upbringing. It has grown stronger over years of experiences. We get knocked down, and then hopefully get back up. It’s kinda like learning how to ride a bike. If we let the fear of falling stop us then you won’t get on the bike in the first place. As children we are exposed to different activities, people, and situations and taught how to deal with them. Read more>>
Kelsie Trujillo
In the last decade I have been dealt some hard cards. From a miscarriage, to a cheating ex husband, to losing my house in a wildfire. I had my faith, family and friends to get through it. In 2018, just 6 months before my wedding with my amazing husband, my mom was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. My mom is my best friend and one of my biggest supporters. Read more>>
Kandy Barber Downs
Well, I’d like to believe that my resilience comes from not wanting to fail. I was raised in a pretty strict, structured, very Christian household. Failing wasn’t an option for me. While I now understand those are very toxic beliefs, it’s all I know. I cannot fail, If i fail I MUST try again. I was born into poverty, in order to “get out” you had to make sacrifices. You HAVE to be resilient. Read more>>
Christine Roberts-Kelly
My immigrant background instilled resilience in me as I navigated a new culture and faced challenges head-on. Witnessing my mother and grandmother overcome obstacles further fueled my determination. Their strength became a source of inspiration, shaping my ability to persevere. Through my own life experiences, I’ve honed a resilient spirit, drawing on the lessons learned from my family’s journey and adapting them to my unique path. Read more>>
Anastasia Simone
For me, resilience comes from my divine alignment. I truly believe that we enter this lifetime with a certain plan for our soul, and this is not always what our human selves would choose. That means that we undergo experiences or face certain aspects of ourselves or or our environment that we wouldn’t put on a vision board, let’s say. Read more>>
Casey Harrison
My resilience is rooted in the adversities I’ve encountered throughout my life. As a young, single mother, the realization that my primary responsibility was to provide for my son became evident early on, and I approached this role with utmost seriousness. The circumstances didn’t afford me the luxury of breaking down or halting my progress. Read more>>
Dan Young
The easy answer is that I know that nothing really good ever comes easy. Truly wonderful things take work and require consistent nurturing. I learned this from every generation of my family, as they have taken time and effort to achieve their goals and create a better life for the next generation. The less obvious answer is that resilience in and of itself is necessary to true success because of three fundamental truths. Read more>>
Hipatia Lopez
My resilience to overcome any obstacle that comes in my way by all means I get that from my mom. My mom was a factory worker, but she always took pride in it. My mom always had at least 2 jobs while I was growing up. She worked as a server on weekends at banquet halls to eventually become Maitre D. Read more>>
Corey Hayes
Resilience is an interesting term to me; The ability to return to a form after being stretched or pulled. I think that to be resilient, you have the know what shape you are returning to. I’ve worked with the organization City Relief (cityrelief.org) in NYC for the past eight years and their mission is to assist people struggling with homelessness to find a path off the street or to the next step of where they want to be. Read more>>
Ryan Aliapoulios
I had a pretty unique childhood—my dad was an executive for Ford when I was growing up and we moved a lot, from Michigan to Kansas and then to Germany for five years before coming back to Michigan. From early on, I was used to picking up and starting over with new friends and dealing with culture shock, so those experiences definitely shaped me. Read more>>
Robert Kuang
My life is fueled by the people in it, and we often take the time we have together for granted. The more effort I put into reaching out to others in times of struggle, the more I am reminded that the world is a lot bigger than my current circumstances, and I am a part of that world. Read more>>
Sarah Ezrin
I’m a firm believer that any challenge we face can become gold if we’re willing to go back, dig deep, and unearth it. Resiliency isn’t a hardening through something. It’s the willingness to let an experience mold you. I grew up in a lot of uncertainty in an alcoholic home. I struggled with an eating disorder and body dysmorphia from a very young age. Read more>>
Ponchitta Lanoue
I learned resilience from my maternal grandmother who helped to raise me. She often shared her experience growing up poor in rural Texas during Jim Crow laws. She had a hard life. She was an entrepreneur who owned a cafe in our neighborhood. She never owned a car because she never learned to drive. Read more>>
Ronnie Robson
Staying resilient has been key in helping me achieve my objectives and goals as a professional musician. I received my business degree at twenty three years of age and as part of that course, I was instructed in regards to this entire skill set – both the process and outcomes in successfully adapting to various challenges. Read more>>
Brette Davis
I grew up in a family with 7 kids, I was 5th born out of those 7. Looking back on my childhood, I realize as an adult that we didn’t have a lot of money. In fact by the world’s standards, we were poor! I was ignorant to it while growing up, and I watched my parents navigate making a lot from a little and make do with what we had. Read more>>
Leni Paquet-Morante
Like your question about work ethic, my early learned responses (mostly in crisis situations) became habit in adulthood. Not necessarily a good thing, either, and I’ve had to have some reckoning about both because I tend to dig my heels in for better or worse. I suppose the short answer that encompasses both are two things that I refer to often in conversation: 1. Read more>>
Summer Watson, MHS, PhD
I love this question. I think my resilience is something that is both innate and learned. You see, when I was six months old my 19-year-old mom would take me to and from the doctor trying to tell them that I was sick, not doing well, and had an upset stomach. My mom explained that due to my calm and happy disposition, she would be told that I had a cold or the stomach flu. Read more>>>
