Overcoming Adversity...
Overcoming Adversity Or Just Lucky?
Written by Paula Lawes Associate Contributor at www.upfromnothing.com & Author/Editor of www.paulaswork.com
Whichever way you look at it, the term ‘adversity’ will provide stories in your mind of someone experiencing life in a somewhat negative way. I, however, see it as something pretty fortunate. It seems to me that most people who have ‘suffered’ in some way have learned that life doesn’t have to be that way and stay like it. Each of us has obstacles in our lives and it’s up to you to define if that’s unfortunate or fortunate. It’s a purely personal thing. The difference however is what you perhaps term as being difficult or impossible. There is a huge difference between the two but it’s not the defining of it that matters, it’s whether the story you are telling yourself is true. It’s whether you believe it or not. To put this into perspective, I want to show you some examples of key people and artists that
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have achieved success when most of us would have given up. Whether you know it or not, for these people getting the success they wanted was not as straightforward as you might have imagined. The main point, however, is to ask yourself:
Did they overcome adversity or did they use it to propel themselves to their chosen paths? ” Jimi Hendrix Born in 1942, Jimi’s upbringing was rife with poverty and neglect. His father Al took on the role of raising his young son after his release from the military. Jimi
and his brother often resorted to stealing from local grocery stores to find food to eat, due to his father not being able to secure employment. Jimi’s first guitar was a one stringed ukulele made from a broomstick and he took it upon himself to learn and hone his own skills. He, however, still opted for the ‘criminal’ route and nearly headed for prison, if the army hadn’t been the other alternative. On being discharged from the army (no one really knows why) Hendrix pursued the musician route full time and did not give up. His first real successes came from minor gigs with the likes of Little Richard, Ike, and Tina Turner. This is until he formed The Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1966.