Central Question

Am I preparing myself to handle adversity—or simply hoping adversity never comes?

Good fortune is welcome. It is not a strategy.

We cannot control whether life gives us favorable circumstances. We cannot guarantee that our plans work, people remain loyal, opportunities appear, our bodies remain capable or tomorrow unfolds according to expectation. What we can influence is the man who meets those circumstances. That is where fortitude and resilience become more than admirable qualities. They become preparation.

Fortitude is courage in the presence of pain, adversity or difficulty.

Resilience is our capacity to withstand difficulty, recover and return to useful action.

Together, they create a man who doesn't require favorable circumstances in order to function well.