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.
Locke Knight
I was an overweight kid and pretty sheltered. I didn’t have many friends and was constantly met with doubt immediately when I met anyone new. I was thought either thought of as the “lazy guy” or the “quitter” so I decided to prove everyone who thought that about me wrong and show everyone new that I met that I was not only determined but also hardworking. Read more>>
Charron Walker
My resilience and strength stem from my relationship with God. I wouldn’t have made it this far without Him. Facing any life-changing event requires digging deep, confronting fears, embracing the unknown, and accepting a new reality. With Him by my side, I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I have also strengthened my resilience through the many journeys I’ve traveled in life. Each one was challenging but invaluable, offering countless lessons, personal growth, maturity, and self-improvement. There’s a saying, “Knowledge is power,” but I believe that applied knowledge is true power. Without applying new information for betterment, it holds no real power. Read more>>
Yasir Abdulqader
I got my resilience from my background as a refugee who arrived to the USA 15 years ago , and took me few years to work on re-certifying my medical degree from overseas to be able to practice medicine here in the states.
These years of studying & accommodating to the new community provided me with the skills & power to draw my pathway here in the states & believe that everything is possible. Read more>>
Madison Lunde
My name is Madison Lunde, and when people ask where my resilience comes from, there’s a lot they might not know. I was diagnosed at birth with neonatal abstinence syndrome, meaning my mother used drugs during pregnancy, and I was born addicted. This has shaped my life in many ways. Kids born with neonatal abstinence syndrome often face tough challenges, but I’ve come a long way, and I’m beyond grateful for each day I’m blessed with. I truly believe I’m here for a reason, and I hope my story reaches at least one person who needs to hear it. Read more>>
Sergio Acevedo
Growing up I didn’t have much. I started working at an early age to get the things that I wanted. I learned back then that if you quit you will never be successful or get the things you deserve. Through many trials and tribulations, and rejections I fought hard to get where I’m at now. My life experiences is where I get my resilience from. Read more>>
Deana-kay Thomas
I get resilience from my constant experiences with low esteem , trauma and set backs by being positive and having positive self talk about life and my journey. Read more>>
Crystal Orozco
Being a Mexican-American, my resilience comes from my parents strength & sacrifices they have made for my sister and I to provide us the opportunities they have today. They are immigrants from Mexico who came to a foreign country, not speaking the language, to provide their family and generations to come a better future. Although, I have personally had many struggles growing up in the USA, as a first generation Latina student, being the eldest in my family, the first one to leave home to purse a degree, and now an entrepreneur. I have had to be resilient and not give up, even when times were very difficult. Read more>>
Alex Sandra
My resilience comes from a strong desire not to fail, which motivates me to keep pushing forward, no matter the challenges. While this drive sometimes causes anxiety, I’m grateful for it because it helps me succeed. I see resilience as a strong skill, even though it can be exhausting at times. For me, success is the ability to resist failure. Read more>>
Tricia Thornton
My story of resiliency started at a young age when I went through two traumatic experiences. The first when my dear grandmother was run over by her own car in my driveway and the second that occurred three weeks later. Two intruders entered my home, and I was awakened in the night to my mother’s piercing scream as she saw the robbers climbing out of our window. Fear settled into my brain at the young age of six, and I had to figure out how to survive. Read more>>
Jorge Estrano
One of my mottos is: Openness to experience, this means that before adversities I have overcome and continue standing. My family is my greatest support and thanks to the tools they share with me I can face new challenges. Life is there, to live it, to enjoy it and I am a person who confirms it daily. Read more>>
Nicolli Massachi
My resilience is rooted in embracing my uniqueness. Throughout my life, I’ve approached things differently—whether it’s in my thoughts, actions, or the way I dress. Growing up, this uniqueness often led to social challenges, including bullying, which taught me the value of resilience. I’ve always balanced being social with my introverted tendencies, which has been crucial in nurturing my entrepreneurial spirit. This journey has involved significant personal growth and periods of solitude. To be a successful entrepreneur, one must think differently, and it’s this mindset that has helped me overcome many obstacles and solidified my resilience. Read more>>
Titus Golden
My resilience is deeply rooted in the hurt and trauma I’ve experienced throughout my life. Those painful moments, though difficult, have shaped who I am and have given me the strength to push forward. Each challenge became an opportunity to rise above, transforming my pain into purpose. It’s in those darkest times that I found the will to keep going, to create, and to build something meaningful. My strength didn’t come from avoiding hardship—it came from surviving it, learning from it, and using it as fuel for growth. That’s where my resilience truly comes from. Read more>>
Mahlleh
I honestly believe I get my resilience from my mother. The first time I had ever heard of the word was when I was a little girl and someone had described my
Mother as the most resilient women they knew. My mom struggled a lot in life and I know she wasn’t perfect but looking back growing up I know she loved her kids and she tried her best to be a better person. When she failed to be one she definitely put it in my head to be better than her and was real about her mistakes with me. I feel like her honesty rubbed off on me and definitely has helped me become resilent in any situation. Read more>>
Abdellah Zoom
Resilience comes from a mix of personal experiences, support systems, and inner strength. Life’s challenges often teach us valuable lessons and help us grow stronger. For me, it’s a combination of facing difficulties head-on, learning from past experiences, and drawing inspiration from the people around me. Read more>>
Katayoon Iravani
Resilience, fueled by grit, has been the driving force of my journey, shaped by the challenges I faced as the daughter of immigrant parents who fled Iran during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. As a first-generation Iranian American, life wasn’t always easy, but my world was truly upended in 2002 when my father fell into addiction, sending my family into turmoil. At just 8 years old, I had to grow up fast. I stepped in to help my overwhelmed mother manage household bills while also taking care of my younger sister. Mornings were spent finishing my math homework, and evenings often involved searching the alleys of the San Fernando Valley with my mom, trying to find my father who was deep in his addiction. Read more>>
Marlow Wyatt
I credit my parents and my extended family for being examples of resilience in their everyday lives. I had no choice; it rubbed off on me and prepared me for my path as a storyteller. I also believe that being born female and being Black in America is the gift of resilience. It is a gift I cherish as I have had to adapt to the difficulties and challenges of simply being me in spaces that want to erase the very essence of who I am. Read more>>
Bryan Hadley
I get it from my mom and dad (who passed away in 2017) and from really all of my beautiful family who came before me. They were or are all teachers or artists and also medical industry people who worked hard and taught me NEVER to give up – in the face of adversity or at any other time. They helped teach me to believe in the purity of effort. Effort never loses and this truth makes your art better. I also hold a steadfast belief in a good God who loves us all and that helps a ton. Read more>>
Karie Mclain
I believe that resilience is something you build over time, but it is also deeply rooted in who you surround yourself with. Growing up, my dad always pushed me to be better and to prove that I was capable of bigger things. It’s something that became deeply rooted in who I am—I’ve never considered failure an option. That drive to push beyond limits is what kept me going through an unexpected battle with a rare and aggressive cancer (a recurrence, and subsequent treatment), and in building my real estate business from the ground up. Read more>>
Olivia Catron
Recently, I’ve been reflecting a lot on resilience and its value. I’ve come to realize that resilience is one of my strengths, though it became clearer to me after navigating some personal challenges. Through those experiences, I recognized the importance of self-care. In the past, I would take on too much, often pushing myself with just six hours of sleep, thinking I could handle it. Eventually, it caught up with me, and I understood I needed to make a change. Read more>>
Rastin Zarei
As an artist and a creative director, bouncing back from any kind of setbacks, criticism, and challenges is one of the mind powers that any artist should have and work on. Its the power of controlling emotions, not to distract the focus of any artist mind, so we can get to the finish line of any goals in our career. Read more>>
Ivan Cloyd
I get my resilience from watching my mother raise two boys as a single mother. Her strength and determination showed me the power of perseverance and unconditional love. Growing up in the streets of Washington DC, I faced numerous challenges and dangers, but these experiences only fortified my resolve. Escaping death and overcoming adversity have given me a unique perspective on life, enabling me to withstand hardships and keep pushing forward. Read more>>
Valery Augustin
I get my resilience from my parents. They’re both gone now, but not a day goes by that I don’t wish they were still here so that I could let them know how grateful I am and how lucky I was (and still am) to have them as parents. I’m a first-generation American. My parents immigrated separately to America from Haiti in the late 1960s and met in New York. First, they had my brother, I followed three years afterward, and then two sisters arrived to round out our family of six. Read more>>
Athena Riley
I draw my resilience from my parents, especially my mother. They are first generation immigrants in the United States and I watched them overcome challenges of a new country with limited English. While my dad worked and my mother was stay-at-home, they taught me hard work, overcoming challenges and change, and prioritizing my needs from my wants. The most transformative years were watching them bounce back from the recession after losing nearly their entire savings and my dad’s job. Read more>>
Nicole Bernardo Cornerstone Virtual Partners
Growing up and always trying to get the approval of my Dad made me who I am today.
If someone tells me not to do something, or that I will never be able to do that…. I say, watch me!
I never give up. Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster ride and I am in it for the long haul.
Every set back happens for a reason. Embrace it, and wait for the silver lining, it will happen.
I have been through several set backs as a business owner and I am tenacious, resilient and always persevere. Read more>>
Sheena Eizmendiz
My resilience likely comes from a combination of dedication, adaptability, and problem-solving mindset. It stems from the unique challenges I’ve overcome. As someone who embarked on her entrepreneurial journey at just 23 years old, while still in college, I had to navigate a world of immense responsibility. Not only was I balancing my studies and launching a business, but I was also going through a divorce, raising a 4 1/2-year-old and a 12-month-old baby. Read more>>
Jen Lawson
I think I get my resilience from my mom, she has always been my biggest cheerleader, when I was growing up I saw her put herself through college and work hard while raising me and my brother and just bounced back from anything that was thrown at her. She taught me to compartmentalize take a deep breath and bounce back. Read more>>
Sam Landu
I get my resilience from the hurt, turmoil, and constant conflicts that come with life. What usually makes others quit, I turn into my ammunition. You may not do the same as others – or be successful as quick. You need to keep going. You keep going for yourself. Read more>>
Debbi Anderson
I believe I get my resilience from nature and nurture. I do believe I was born an independent spirit. Being the third child out of 4 I learned to fend for myself and get attention from outside our home. My parents were definitely supportive but in a hands off approach. This allowed me to learn on my own how to resolve conflict, make decisions and learn from my mistakes. I have been knocked down several times over the years but with my family being a shoulder to cry on and my tenacity to fix things I have persevered and will continue to do so. Read more>>
Dr. Lashonda Wofford
I have built my resilience through a combination of personal trials, tribulations, and the wisdom gained from trusting the vision that God gave me, even when others couldn’t see or understand it. My ability to bounce back after life’s challenges, to cultivate the vision God entrusted to me, and to grow through adversities has strengthened my resilience. I’Ve endured physical, mental, and emotional struggles, such as those from the car accident and personal experiences with forgiveness , betrayal and self-reflection. All of this, combined with God’s healing and guidance, has shaped my resilience into what it is today. Read more>>
Dawn Garcia
Wow….this question is very deep on so many levels. The only way that I could really explain where my resilience comes from is to tell you my story.. my testimony of God’s Greatness in my life. It all started once I was born on December 5th, 1995. I didn’t have the normal story of being born and then a few days later going home to a loving family. I was born prematurely , weighing only about 1 pound. I was so small that you could hold me in the palm of one hand. Being born premature, came with many complications after birth, such as breathing problems with me developing bronchitis, and having trouble walking correctly, In my early years of age involving many surgeries, and physical therapy. Read more>>
Minister Latoya Roberts
My resilience came from a life of tragedy and misfortune since birth. At 6 yrs old my mother had a heart attack and died. I was molested at 9yrs old. Lived in multiple foster homes. Been through rejection, verbal abuse my first reaction is become angry bitter low self esteem no confidence etc. I was tired of living that way. I was tired of the pain and emotional turmoil. I decided to learn more about God and I asked him to help me. Through many years of pain birthed power!!! I found my purpose and love for myself. Read more>>
Katheryne Womack
Where does my resilience come from? The military. The good news is that what I have learned in resilience from the military- it is applicable to all endeavors. Business, personal goals, you name it. Being accustomed to uncomfortable situations for extended periods of time has equipped me with the mental toughness to overcome challenges in life and business. It’s also empowered me to mentor and support my peers in business who need encouragement. Read more>>
Denzel Starks
Feeling like life’s got you down? Trust me, I’ve been there. I’ve spent most of my life in survival mode, but I’ve learned that there’s no benefit in overthinking things. Why waste time crying over spilled milk? Instead, get up and try again. Every challenge we face has a purpose – it’s either a valuable lesson or a hidden blessing. Keep moving forward with confidence, and you’ll discover where your strength truly comes from. It’s all about perseverance and a positive mindset. Read more>>
