Are you resilient enough? In Community #43

Are you resilient enough? 👀

Think about it. How long does it take you to recover from setbacks, and are you using them to propel you forward?

Last week, I wrote about how surfing is the most fun I’ve had while failing at something – and how it reminds me of my own resilience.

Resilience.

It’s not lost on me that I don’t often see those who look like me at the most popular surf destinations. Access to the outdoors – for all of us – is far from what it should be.

I’ve thought about this a lot over the last few years, and I’ve made a conscious effort to tell friends about my experiences, and to encourage them to join. This comes to life for me at work as well.

Resilience isn’t just about recovering – its foundation can also be about the courage and conviction to navigate uncharted waters, knowing that you’ll face barriers along the way.

It can be uncomfortable, but discomfort drives growth.

I’ve been able to build a framework that helps me to recover more quickly from challenges, which in turn gives me greater confidence to push myself into new territory – both in my personal life and at work.

It might be helpful to you too.

👉🏽 RISK: Understand how going beyond your comfort zone might feel like a risk but a calculated one. Explore where it makes sense to challenge the status quo, whether it's taking a different kind of trip (outdoors, more adventurous in some way) or stretching into a new function, field, or focus area at work.

👉🏽 RESOLVE: Determine what your path could look like, and take the steps needed to be as prepared as you can be. You won't have all the answers, but the research to find them happens here.

👉🏽 RISE: Take steps forward to elevate your own experience. Make that stretch, and see where it lands you. This is usually the longest and toughest part of the process. Rising isn't just about upward momentum – it's where you'll be met with those barriers I mentioned earlier. You might overcome them at first try, or you may get knocked down. Still, you moved forward.

👉🏽 REWARD: Wherever you land, recognize that you made progress. I've had instances where I tried a new direction – particularly with a new kind of job – where it didn't go as I'd hoped, and at a point factors were out of my control. But I took a risk, I resolved to move forward, and I rose. It's always worth taking time to appreciate what you've achieved.

👉🏽 REPEAT: You made it to the other side, and you're stronger for it. You're more experienced, and you're more resilient. You've got knowledge and wisdom that you didn't have before – even if it's the knowledge that the path you tried isn't the one for you. You’ll be more ready for the next challenge.

So ask yourself again – are you resilient enough? 👀

And on that note, resilience is a common thread among the leaders spotlighted in this week’s Need to Know as well. Whether it’s building community in unconventional ways and across unexpected media, or whether it's uncovering new data, it gives us faith in the progress we make along the way.

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Need To Know

💥 Is the racial wage gap between Gen X and Millennials shrinking? New information from a study by Harvard and the U.S. Census Bureau suggests it is.

💥 Adrian Cepeda is TikTok’s “Book Papi.” He’s reminding us about the fun in summer reading by hosting block parties at his bookstore.

💥 Jay Sean paved a path for other mainstream South Asian pop musicians to follow. They’re embracing their culture and having a moment.

Who are the authors, social impact leaders, entrepreneurs, executives, and more who should get featured for how they’re moving us forward together?

Are you one of them? Reach out with your ideas by replying to this directly. I mean it – who deserves to get the spotlight on them? Let me know.

In community,

Fahad