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Real champions draw strength from adversity

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Real champions draw strength from adversity. FILE PHOTO | NMG

One fine day a donkey was happily grazing on the hills that he did not notice that a wolf had crept up near him. As he lifted up his head to take a break from eating, he saw the wolf that was waiting to attack and eat him. The donkey knew he would have to think fast if he wanted to save himself.

He started crying loudly as if he was badly hurt. The wolf didn’t understand what could have suddenly happened to the donkey, so he asked the donkey what the matter was. “A thorn has pierced my foot; will you help me take it out?” he asked the wolf.“Why will I do that?” replied the wolf.

“Well, I am requesting it for your benefit. The thorn stuck on my foot is very sharp, so that when you eat me, it will get stuck in your throat and it will not come out. You will have to suffer through immense pain because of the thorn,” said the donkey. “But if you remove the thorn first and eat me second, everything will be alright”, he added.

The wolf got worried for this throat and thanked the donkey.  The wolf approached the donkey to take off the thorn from the donkey’s foot. As he went near the donkey to take out the thorn, the donkey kicked him with all his might and ran away from there as quickly as possible.

The wolf was astounded and did not realise what had happened. He realised that he had lost a few of his teeth. The wolf cursed himself for his foolishness and limped away.

 Mahatma Gandhi, once famously said, “Strength does not come from winning alone. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”

The first thing that comes to each one’s mind when faced with an obstacle or a challenge is “Why me?” And the heart is quickly filled with emotions of hurt, anger, disappointment and what not. But, it is important to realise that adversities are what introduces your true self to yourself and helps in shaping your character.

Build your stamina from challenges

1. Strength does not come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you could not: So, go ahead take chances, overcome your fears and keep building your strength and confidence.

2. Look out for the opportunity that comes out of the adversity: We have heard this enough times, opportunities come disguised as problems. No one prepares you better for life than adversities, so watch out & prepare for them.

3. Obstacles prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny: Obstacles, challenges and discomfort are what prepare you to take off in life. Only those who can stay calm, are grounded and act wisely, win the game.

4. Challenges are what makes life interesting, overcoming them is what makes them meaningful: Have you ever seen a plane take off along with the wind, it’s always against the wind. Don’t try to run away from challenges, face them and beat them.

5. It is in times of adversity that we really discover who we are and what we are made of: Adversity does not build character, it reveals it. Don’t let your struggle become your identity.