The Power of Thick Skin: Nurturing Resilience and Growth

"Don't fear failure or rejection. Embrace them as stepping stones to greatness. Let your thick skin guide you towards success." - Pony Ma, Co-founder of Tencent.

“Thick-skinned” was characterizing persons as “dull” and “stupid,” later as “insensitive to criticism.” A derived term, a thickskin, was once used to tease dimwits.?

In a world that often presents challenges and setbacks, developing a thick skin can be a valuable asset.?

Thick skin refers to the ability to remain resilient and unaffected by criticism, rejection, or adversity. Just like a protective shield, a thick skin allows individuals to navigate through life's obstacles with confidence and determination.

Let me share 2 recent life story:?

Story 1:

I reached out to successful entrepreneurs to conduct interviews during covid, Yuet Kim Lim , Jason Minkee K. and David Yeoh agreed to my interview on zoom.?

My lack of abilities to edit the video resulted in taking months before the 1st video was released. Eventually we did not manage to publish any of the interview videos.?

Lesson learned: Be prepared, always reach out to people and keep them informed. Be firm and deliver what you meant and promised.?

Story 2:?

I was approached by PYTCH Media , Maisurah Hamid , to conduct interviews for CEOs and Entrepreneurs. Although PYTCH Media and I did not kick start the interviews, I had a good learning experience.?

Lesson learned: Agreed, do first and find a solution thereafter, if you want it badly enough, you will find a solution to get it done.?

These are 2 of the many stories i have on thick-skinned, the process can be cultivate with enough focus and practice, i observed these benefits:

??Resilience in the Face of Adversity.?

??Shielding Against Criticism.?

??Embracing Change and Taking Risks.?

??Building Stronger Relationships.?

??Cultivating Self-Confidence.?

How i cultivate thick skin:

a. Reframe setbacks: View setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning. Shift your perspective from failure to valuable experience.

b. Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding. Acknowledge that everyone makes mistakes, and failures do not define your worth.

c. Seek constructive feedback: Embrace feedback that helps you improve and grow. Learn to distinguish between constructive criticism and baseless negativity.

d. Surround yourself with support: Build a network of positive and supportive individuals who uplift and encourage you during challenging times.

e. Focus on personal growth: Continuously invest in self-improvement and learning. Set goals, celebrate achievements, and embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.

Books i recommend on developing resilience:

1. "The Resilience Factor: 7 Keys to Finding Your Inner Strength and Overcoming Life's Hurdles" by Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatte: Presents a comprehensive framework for building resilience, offering practical strategies to navigate through adversity and bounce back stronger.

2. "Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead" by Brené Brown: Explores the process of rising strong after failure, disappointment, or adversity, offering tools for building resilience and learning from setbacks.

3. "Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb: Examines the concept of antifragility, emphasizing the importance of embracing adversity, learning from failures, and becoming stronger through challenges.

Cultivating a thick skin is a powerful attribute that empowers individuals to navigate life's challenges with resilience and confidence.

Check out some of linkedin friends that are resilience: Larson Ong , Joseph Wong , Trinh Tran Chau , Raina Lim

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