resilience is a skill
IT'S A JOURNEY TO DEVELOP IT
advance despite adversity
​Ok let's go! First off, you're going to see a lot of pictures of water here. That's for two reasons...firstly, I'm a big Bruce Lee fan ('be water my friend') and secondly, I think that water is a wonderful metaphor for resilience. It's the most resilient, adaptable resource on the planet. Did you know that it's the only substance that can naturally exist in all three states (liquid, gas and solid)?
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Anyway, back to what all of this all has to do with marketing! In the ever-evolving landscape of business these days, resilience is not just a nice-to-have; it's a got-to-have! From adapting to new technology shifts to navigating challenging client interactions, resilience keeps you moving forward, just like a river that can't be stopped. It might have to change shape and direction when rocks or mud get in the way, but the water will always find a way to keep moving forward.
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Resilience is a skill, which means we can learn it. For some people, resilience comes naturally, but for most of us, we need to work at it. Just like bread-baking, or playing a musical instrument, we get better as we test new things and continue to put in the effort.
They say 'knowledge is power' but I believe that 'knowledge is potential power.'
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Think about the books we read, or the TED talks that we watch. Yes, they offer amazing insights and ideas, but so often we forget them shortly afterwards. The only way to truly learn something is to put it into practice. Here, we dive into real-world practical tools that we can put to use to thrive and get us to the next level in our marketing careers.
how about an example?
We all have our moments. When a colleague gives us an awful brief, or the business decides to change something that's working well. It's frustrating, right? What about when a huge macro event (like COVID, a recession, AI) takes place? It can be scary.
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Whether we're scared or frustrated, it can weigh heavily on our minds.
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Here's what I discovered during what should have been one of the most stressful moments of my life. When the pandemic hit, I was working in the travel industry, my heavily-pregnant wife was also in the travel industry, our 3-year-old was stuck at home, we had a mortgage to worry about, and oh yeah, don't forget about the actual impact of getting sick.
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Despite all of that chaos swirling around, I had this sense of relative calm. It's hard to explain, but the fundamentals that I had been practicing prior to March 2020 (meditation, journaling, exercise, gratitude, philosophy etc) had given me a strong level of adaptability. Not just to survive, but actually to thrive! I was able to step back from the chaos and focus on what I could actually control. Instead of letting the pandemic affect me, I looked at it as an opportunity. An opportunity to spend more time with my sons (there would soon be two of them), to double-down on studying resilience, to get creative with work, to connect more with friends from afar.
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I couldn't control the situation, but I could control how I responded.
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So, how do you actually do it? That’s why you’re here. There are plenty of useful tools and strategies that you can deploy to help you fortify your mindset and build that resilience. Let's look at them.
5 pillars of resilience
these are the important components that will elevate your impact
mindset
Deal with change, improve self-discipline, and understand the power of gratitude.
Discover how to shift your perspective so that you can crush any type of change that comes your way. Understand the power of consistency and foster genuine appreciation for challenging times.
The next level awaits.
communication
Build empathy, get curious with important questions, and learn how to tell amazing stories.
Learn how to put yourself in other people’s shoes (customers, colleagues, bosses etc), ask the right questions, and then sell an idea to inspire the right kind of action.
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Clarity provides freedom.
emotional intelligence
Recognize your emotions, understand your environment, and learn to zoom out.
Grasp the power of authenticity and tap into your strengths. Use your strengths to your advantage, and learn how to see and understand what is happening around you.
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Let go of anger and dominate your mind.
