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.
Lauren Battin
I get my resilience from being a military kid. I was raised to adapt, to stand tall in unfamiliar places, and to keep going no matter what’s in front of me. Change, challenge, and uncertainty were part of my normal, and they taught me how to be unshakable. I’ve learned to thrive under pressure, to rebuild when needed, and to keep my focus even when everything around me shifts. My resilience is rooted in that upbringing—and it’s only grown stronger through every storm I’ve faced since. Read More>>
Shane Labuschagne
I believe my resilience was forged early in life on the playing field and in the ring, where every bout—whether in kickboxing or rugby—was both a test of strength and character. Competing at a high level, I learned that setbacks were not failures, but essential opportunities to learn, adapt, and overcome. That same resilient spirit was further refined when I ventured into business. Launching and running a high-performance center in South Africa required constant innovation and persistence; every obstacle became a chance to improve not just the program but myself as a leader. Read More>>
Andrey Deyneka
[Andrey Deyneka’s perspective:]
Resilience? That’s a good question. I think… I was born into it. Growing up in Tolyatti, during the collapse of the Soviet Union, life was not soft. My parents worked in the car factories—hard labor, long hours, low pay. But they survived. Everyone around us did what they had to do. There was no other option. Read More>>
Porscha Jones
I get my resilience from knowing that God is always backing me. Throughout these last 36 years, I have lived through some unfortunate events. I witnessed my mom go through domestic violence, battle a drug and alcohol addiction, as well health issues that she later succumbed to; which at times left my siblings and I with the short hand of the stick. We were poor. At times, we went without clothes, shoes, food and shelter. But, I had a made up mind that better was always on the horizon, and that I had the power to change my outcome of my life. Read More>>
Rachel OBrien
Resilience, to me, is both something you’re born with and something that’s forged through the people and experiences that raise you. I was raised by entrepreneurs—my parents started their first business in the master closet of our small townhouse in Plymouth, Minnesota. The business eventually took over the entire bedroom, and they ended up sleeping on a mattress on the floor. I watched them put in the hours and do the real work. Read More>>
Ray Park
Resilience isn’t something I can achieve once — it’s a mindset I need to carry with me every day. I see life a lot like the weather. There are sunny days, there are rainy days, and sometimes, storms come without warning. But none of it is permanent — and none of it means something is wrong. It’s just life, unfolding the way it’s meant to. Read More>>
Joseph Allen “JoJo” Ruanto-Ramirez
In 1991, I came to the United States as a natural disaster refugee from the Zambales, Philippines – evacuated by the United States Navy with my mom and 1 year old sister. I remember running to sheltered area as ash and flaming rocks dropped from the sky. As a 5-year old, I thought the world was going to end – the ground shook while the sky was pitch dark with small pockets of light from vehicles and flashlights being the only faint, yet visible light aside from the balls of fire that flew across the sky. Read More>>
Maryam (Nilu) Ghasempour Siahgaldeh
My resilience stems from the women in my family, particularly my mother. She taught me that strength isn’t always loud or visible; it often lies in quiet endurance, persistence, and the ability to hold everything together when the world is falling apart. Read More>>
JM
My resilience is rooted in a few places: my cultural heritage, my military background, and my mission-driven purpose. As an Afro-Latina from the Caribbean and a U.S. Navy veteran, I was raised in an environment where adaptability, perseverance, and strength were non-negotiable. The women in my family are warriors in their own right, bold, resourceful, and unshakeable, so I carry that energy with me. Read More>>
Omar Aguilar
The strength I have inside me? It didn’t just appear; it was built, brick by brick, from the stories of my parents’ incredible fight. Their lives before America was vastly different then my own, one filled with challenges I only began to grasp as I grew older.
When I was a kid, around 8 or 9, their past felt like a hazy storybook. I knew they worked hard, but the real weight of their struggles to give us a good life was something my young mind couldn’t fully understand. Still, those faint tales of hardship and hope planted seeds in me. Read More>>
Madeline McCue
When I look at my daughter, resiliency becomes inherent. There is only a world in which I am successful so that I can provide her with the life that she deserves and that also means working hard to be the best version of myself. I have learned that my example is ultimately the starting point of the choices that she makes for herself. She is a mirror and if I misstep, it’s reflected to me. It is a gift that allows me to adjust and grow which has been incredibly healing. Read More>>
Helena Olivares
Truly I think my resilience stems from feeling the need to fight for myself & to be heard from a very young age. I have been a fighter (in a sense) my whole life and I have always strived to make sure my voice and what I need to say is heard. If I was knocked down, I found a way to dust myself off and get back up again and keep going because at the end of the day YOU are the one who is going to fight the hardest for yourself, no one else. Thankfully I learned this as a young child so it honestly just comes naturally as an adult. I refuse to let myself fail and if I do, I know I’m only failing forward success. Read More>>
Nikole Vega
I get my resilience from having to start life on my own at a really young age. I left home as a teenager because of my own decisions and had no choice but to figure things out without anyone holding my hand. On top of that, I moved to the U.S. from Colombia and being an immigrant meant rebuilding from the ground up: new language, new culture, no safety net and no connections. I had to create an entirely new life in a country that wasn’t designed to make it easy. Read More>>
Ryan Mello
I just feel like I’m supposed to keep going. Like my mission isn’t quite complete. I’ve always got one more shot to take or one more hurtle to climb over. Giving up while seemingly easy is and never will be an option! Read More>>
Doug Davis
I have always felt I have to work harder than most. My mom likes to say I came out that way. In hindsight I realize that I started building my resilience at the ripe age of 7! Diagnosed with dyslexia in the second grade – 1980 – a time when no one was talking about learning disabilities, I had tutors everyday after school and all summer long to stay ahead. Read More>>
Angelese Russell
My resilience comes from a combination of intuition, faith, and life experience. From a young age, I learned to face challenges head on, as I’ve had to navigate being on my own earlier than most. Later in life, I developed even greater resilience through difficult experiences, including surviving abusive relationships. One of the most defining moments came when I moved to Hawaii for a man I married, only to lose him to cancer 24 years later. Read More>>
Lily Lomeli
My strength? It comes from facing a lot of tough times. I left my home to find my purpose, and had to start my whole life over. I lost jobs because I didn’t speak the language well. I trusted the wrong people and got hurt. My marriage fell apart because of addiction. I had a miscarriage. I lost my home because I didn’t have enough money. I had problems with my family. And at times, I even lost my faith. Read More>>
Carrie West
Studying at the American Film Institute, I realized my life was a story—complete with antagonists, villains, plot twists and turns, and themes. That insight showed me how deeply narratives shaped my life. By rewriting my own script, I changed the characters, motifs, and plotlines that once kept me stuck. Knowing I can revise my story at any time is what fuels my resilience. Today, as a #1 International Bestselling author and speaker, I share this approach so others can discover they, too, have the power to challenge old beliefs and craft the life they truly want. Read More>>
Marisa Abzug
I honestly believe I was born with it. My Dad used to tell me (he died in September, 2024) at five years old he knew he could put me on a plane to New York and within a week, I’d have a job and an apartment. This was a blessing and a curse. I was very parentified as a child and forced to grow up fast. That said, I am grateful because it has helped me to deal with a lot of adversity. I also owe a lot to the personal counseling I’ve received. I would not be where I am today without it! Read More>>
Joan Fabian
As a small child growing up I had to deal with many personal challenges. I was bullied and my family life wasn’t always calm and supportive. My mother worked in a factory to support us. I believe I looked to my mother as a strong resilient woman and that made a big impression on me. She gave me the strength to overcome obstacles. If she could do that I could also. Read More>>
Kiara Weibel
**Where Do I Get My Resilience From?**
My resilience comes from surviving hard times—times I was certain would take me out. I’ve lived through moments that I watched destroy the people I loved. Moments that almost destroyed me, too. But somehow, I’m still here. This August, I’ll celebrate six years clean and sober from drug addiction. Read More>>
Sierra Stone
Life is full of ups and downs and unexpected circumstances, but the way to win is to look for the silver lining in everything and keep moving forward no matter what. The only way to truly fail is to stop trying and accept defeat. Each time I’ve faced adversity, I gain more confidence and stronger trust in myself because I always have my own back. That self trust lets me know that no matter what life throws at me, I will be able to handle it and come out stronger on the other side. Read More>>
Anna Ferreira
Well, through life experiences themselves. I see no other way. Things must change and I do believe we are all an integral part of it. I have had what anyone might call a “tough” life, but I never saw myself as a victim, quite the contrary.
I feel as if all the challenges and hiccups I have been through have definitely worked as building stones for my character, skills, and am today able to say I am fully and incredibly thankful for it all. Read More>>
Gabriela Jiménez Marván
I draw my resilience from the moments when I share my art and witness how deeply it resonates with the Latino and Mexican community. Seeing people feel seen, reflected, and inspired by my presence at art fairs—spaces that often showcase a predominantly “white” aesthetic—fuels my passion. At the same time, I sometimes encounter resistance or hesitation from those who are unfamiliar with Mexican culture, or who view it through a lens of stereotypes. Rather than discouraging me, these challenges strengthen my resolve. Read More>>
Taylor Walls
There was a moment when I felt like giving up on music. A door that I had prayed would open, one I dreamt of for years, slammed shut in my face. I thought it was the only way to pursue a career like this, and I remember asking myself, “Is this really worth it?”
But something inside me nudged me to keep going. So I did. There have been high moments and hard moments, but it’s in the hard moments where my resilience has grown. That’s where my faith, my family, and my friends kept the fire inside me burning bright. Read More>>
Barbara Cheney
Resilience:
I think my time as a student in the classroom laid my resilience foundation.
Even in my early school years, I loved to read and learn. While in the first few weeks of 3rd grade, I was suddenly promoted into the 4th grade. One moment I was in my seat in 3rd, and suddenly I was zipped off to Mr Lawson’s 4th grade classroom. I had determined to learn to write in cursive, which was taught in the 3rd grade. In 2nd grade, I had tried to write my name in cursive, and my teacher would take a red pencil and ruler and draw a dark line through my name. Read More>>
Faye Dooley
My resilience isn’t what you would find scrolling through Instagram right now. My resilience – is not polished. There are no cute buttons or wrap-ups. No hooks that will get you to think or reflect dearly on your journey with a wee glint in your eye. You will not find a classy prologue or “day in the life,” style video highlighting my journey as a creative. I am a feral, all-or-nothing, shoot-myself-to-the-moon kind of woman. Read More>>
