On Hardship

“Success comes to the lowly and the poorly talented, but the special characteristic of a great person is to triumph over the disasters and panics of human life”. – Seneca, On Tranquility Of Mind

You may know many people in life like colleagues, friends, or family members that seem to breeze through the stages of life. They went to great schools, graduated with honors, got the dream job, made the right investments, and it all seems effortless to them. You see their journey and it is hard not to think, why can't I have that?

In today’s social media-heavy society, it is hard not to get distracted by the shiny job positions, promotions, and virtue signaling on the best way to achieve success to get the THING. It is very hard to find the stories of people who have taken risks, failed, struggled, and persevered in many of life's challenges. Success does not come from these shiny accolades that you frequently see on your feed but from the character every individual acquires by staying true to themselves and their values and overcoming the hardships that come with it.

Character is not defined by other people's definition of success but by the challenges one overcomes while staying true to their values. Embrace the situation you are in today, and take it as an opportunity to strengthen your character. Your success will come from resilience and not by circumstance or luck.