The power of Resilience: It's all about how hard you get hit and still keep on moving

Keep the end in sight. Once you have decided on the end goal, don’t let any distractions keep you from attaining it
Image for representational purpose only
Image for representational purpose only

It isn’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward… 
That’s how winning is done. The iconic words of Rocky Balboa sprang to life when I watched a clip somebody had posted on Facebook some time ago.

It looked like a pillow fight between a little girl of age ten and a boy who was a little older, both probably from the northeastern part of India. The contestants were seated precariously on a bridge that looked like a bamboo pole they were given long pillows and they had to hit each other until one gets knocked down from the pole.

The minute the fight started it was obvious that the boy who was stronger had the upper hand and he kept hitting the girl — almost sweeping her off the pole she was sitting on. Each time she lost her balance, but she just wouldn’t let go, she just clung on to the pole sometimes upside down. The boy would pummel her arms, legs, and body to make her release her grip and fall down to the ground, but the girl simply refused to give up, she fiercely held on. 
This went on for minutes. She would struggle to get back into position, it was obvious that the pillow was far too heavy for her. Just when she was ready, ‘boom’, another hit and she would be down clinging on to the pole, once again. 

Her tenacity was mind-blowing. Finally, when you are wondering, why she doesn’t give up and save herself from this merciless pounding, she gets back to position, grips the pillow with all her might and swings it in the direction of the boy and, believe it or not, completely sweeps him off from the pole. The crowd is ecstatic. What a fight the girl put up and what a beating she took to finally emerge victorious. I wish there was some way to track this girl’s progress and peer into the future, I am sure she will emerge a champion in whichever field she chooses. Is her determination, resilience and never-say-die spirit part of her DNA, or was it acquired? If so, can this be replicated in other children? 
Let me share what inspired me from this little video.

Keep the end in sight. Once you have decided on the end goal, don’t let any distractions keep you from attaining it. Learn from mistakes, but keep moving forward. However hard it may seem, don’t let go. Refuse to give up, you will get your dues if you hold on long enough.
Increase effort. Any goal requires the application of just two things to attain it, capabilities and efforts. So sometimes, if your capabilities are compromised, like in this case a heavy pillow or inadequate strength, you have to increase or overcompensate your efforts to make up for it.

Everyone gets their opportunity. You will get your turn. If you are continuously losing, it simply means your time zone is yet to come. Your opportunity might appear only for a fleeting minute but learn to recognise it and grab it. 

Remember, it’s not over, till it is over and even then, it’s not over. Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through a difficult problem.

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