What does this quote mean to you?

Today's quote focuses on adversity, which Merriam-Webster defines as "a state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune."

"Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful." - Zig Zaglar

Human beings have a natural inclination to avoid or minimize any kind of hardship in their lives. In reality, though, we all need a dash of adversity every now and then to propel us to achieve something.

Here are some examples:

Being driven to lose weight after being teased by fellow peers
Starting one's own company after being laid off one or more times
Getting an A+ on an exam after initially struggling in a course
Supporting a child by oneself after his or her partner walks out
Finding true love after striking out repeatedly on the dating front

You can likely relate to at least one of the examples above. Sometimes we face challenges in life that seem almost insurmountable, thus resulting in depression, anxiety, and self-doubt.

But adversity itself can act as the fuel that drives us to achieve great things; it can serve as a catalyst for improvement.

If we didn't get Fs, putting us on the verge of failing the class, perhaps we'd always feel content with Cs. If the kids didn't make fun of us, it's possible we'd remain complacent being overweight our whole lives. When it comes to dating, you know what they say: "Sometimes you have to go through a few Mr. Wrongs to find Mr. Right."

Instead of seeing adversity as venomous, think of it as what will ultimately motivate you to effect change in a good way. But here's the kicker: You have to desire change and be willing to invest whatever time and effort is necessary to get results. If you aren't wholeheartedly committed to overcoming adversity, then it -- not you -- gets the last laugh.

If you think about it, life would surely be boring if we didn't confront challenges every once in a while. If everything was always perfect, what would we strive toward?

There's no better feeling than meeting adversity head-on and persevering through it. To get to that point, however, you must work hard, believe in yourself, and never give up.

What are your thoughts?

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