Flybe / November 2018

74 / 116

74 / Flight Time / NOVEMBER 2018
It may have been 500 BC when Greek philosopher Heraclitus was credited with bringing
us the idea that “change is the only constant,” but in today’s fast-paced world, it feels like a
statement that is truer than ever before. Disruptive technologies, political uncertainty and
our always-connected devices mean life now throws challenges at us at such an alarming
rate that how we cope with uncertainty and set-backs can make the difference between
success and failure.
So, whether it is at work, in your personal life or running a business, resilience has
become one of the essential skills for success in the modern world. But how can we build
upon our own levels of resilience? We asked a panel of experts for their top tips:
One way to develop resilience is
to find yourself in a tiny 23-foot
rowboat, rowing across three
thousand miles of Atlantic Ocean
in the worst weather since records
began. En route all four oars
will break, as will your camping
stove, stereo, and satellite phone.
You develop tendinitis in your
shoulders and saltwater sores on
your bottom. As well as all the
physical challenges, on a daily
basis you find yourself battling
the demons in your head.
Luckily, I’ve done all that for
you, but in the process, I learned
to take it one day (or even one
oarstroke) at a time. Too often,
we give up long before the point
Resilience = Brilliance
HOW TO BUILD YOUR RESILIENCE TO COPE
WITH WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU
WORLD-RECORD-
HOLDING OCEAN ROWER
Roz Savage
Sometimes in life, you don’t realise how much
resilience you actually have until you are tested.
However, in my experience, what makes one
individual more resilient than the next typically
comes down to three key ingredients:
1. A unique ability to confront reality head on
Resilient people don’t bury their heads in the
sand when faced with challenging times. They
don’t go into denial hoping that a situation or
scenario will just sort itself out, and they aren’t
delusional about the magnitude of opportunities
or challenges they are facing. They simply have
a unique ability to confront reality head-on!
2. An unwavering belief that life is purposeful
Creating purpose is the way resilient people
build bridges from their current state reality to a
compelling future state. The moment we create
the bridge – the link between our personal goals,
business goals and what we do daily during work
– self-motivation takes hold. This is the defining
moment a person changes from someone with
a job to someone with a purpose. And at that
point, resilience will naturally kick in when that
purpose is challenged or under threat.
3. An uncanny ability to improvise and adapt
Behind any great success is years of dedication,
trial and error, mistakes and setbacks. Achievers
don’t always get it right, and yes, in some
situations they might fail (or what others
perceive as failure). But I view the failures as
learning opportunities, stepping-stones to the
ultimate goal.
Royston Guest is an expert in growing businesses
and unlocking people potential. He is CEO of Pti
Worldwide, author of number one best-selling
business growth book, Built to Grow. For more
information go to
of exhaustion because we get a
bit tired, and start imagining a
future point at which we become
exhausted. The mere act of
imagining future exhaustion
overwhelms us, and we quit. So,
don’t let your mind go there.
We are capable of much more
than we realise. There were so many
times that I thought I was about to
hit my limit – of fear, frustration,
boredom, or pain – and yet five
minutes later I was still rowing, so
obviously my limit wasn’t where I
thought it was. So much of success is
simply not quitting.
It is important to remember
why you set out on this mission
in the first place – whether that
is a new career, a new location,
or a new family. Keep your eye
on the prize. I call this the bifocal
approach: through the top half
of your lenses you can see the
destination, and why that goal
matters to you.
Through the bottom half of
your lenses, do whatever you need
to do right here, right now, to
get a bit closer to that destination.
Persevere, and success will be
yours.
Roz Savage is an author and an
international speaker on leadership,
courage, resilience and sustainability.
For more information go to
BUSINESS GROWTH EXPERT
Royston Guest
Business Focus