MAN, IVORY COAST - MAY 06: African children in a koranic school classroom, Tonkpi Region, Man, Ivory ... [+]
The worst wounds are not the ones we see on the surface, but the ones that lay deep within us. Many of us like to believe that adversity is healthy and can lead to success, and although many success stories have emerged from hardship, the fact of the matter is that it is rare. According to Dr. Jim Taylor, author of five parenting books, including Your Children Are Listening, "hardships that are brutal and intense, prolonged and uncontrollable don't create resilience, they create trauma." Growing up in an environment full of danger, parental inconsistencies, poverty and abandonment can translate into altered brain development and cognitive, emotional and systemic disorders throughout the life course excluding many citizens from the life and success they deserve.
Despite a historic low unemployment rate and economic growth in the U.S., many people are still facing significant adversities, leaving them behind and struggling to succeed. Of course, hardships can also inspire others to succeed, all depending on their response to them.
Can the government or charities provide aid to people to land on their feet? Or are personal qualities more important? An article published by N.Y. Times tells the story of Tyrone Freeman, a man who found a job after months of struggle. Tyrone figured out that his own personal qualities along with outside assistance helped him to finally reach his goal and land back on his feet after being laid off and unemployed for almost one year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), half of all U.S. children have experienced some kind of trauma in the form of abuse, neglect, violence or challenging household circumstances—and 35 percent of children have experienced more than one type of traumatic event. These adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) create high levels of stress that can have impacts that extend far beyond childhood, leading to long-lasting behavioral, mental and physical consequences. All factors that can affect one's ability to perform in levels that can propel success.
This is why organizations like The College Board assess students not just on their math and verbal skills, but also on their educational and socioeconomic backgrounds, called the "adversity score." An adversity score is a number on a 100-point scale, with the average score being 50. The higher the number, the more adversity a student has faced. The score is calculated using 15 factors, including the quality of the student's high school and the crime rate and the poverty level of the student's environment, attempting to account for the socioeconomic climate of each student's hometown and school.
While we all face varying levels of hardship, there must be a counterbalance of positives in our lives so that we may continue to grow and succeed. It is true that personal resilience, combined with a positive attitude can help us to thrive and grow amid trying circumstances; however, the need for society, leaders and businesses to provide opportunities to the majority of those affected by hardship will be a major contributing factor in reaching success in society as a whole.
