Resilience can be one of those words, tossed around in conversations with only a vague concept of its relevance or appropriateness within the discussion. More often than not, it is misused in the corporate sector and if you ask, people can’t really tell you what it means.

Many think it is the responsibility of others or something which requires the involvement of a change manager. They fail to realise that resilience is something you can build and strengthen within yourself which is a big mistake on their part.

Although some people are more naturally resilient than others, it is something that can be worked on or addressed.

Resilience essentially means that you have the ability to overcome the stressors and hurdles of your life and career, or whatever it is you’re attempting to achieve. Success can only come from resilience, and those that can overcome these hurdles and hard times, the bumps in the road, and the thwarting of plans, will achieve success more quickly.

Of course, the reverse also applies. If you don’t build up your resilience, or crumble under the overwhelm or setbacks, success may never be achieved.

On the career path, any number of obstacles and pot holes may be placed in your way. Mass redundancies, restructuring, or recruitment of seemingly unsuitable staff may occur. You may find your workload increases to near impossible, or that the tasks you’ve been given are boring beyond belief. Maybe it’s your confidence and self-beliefs that are holding you back.

There are a number of commonalities amongst those who make it, and those who don’t, and what it is that defines someone as resilient.

It is never looking back or letting what happened in their past hold them back. Rather it’s learning from those experiences, and applying strategies to avoid or overcome them that propels people forward.

It is “being” the person they want to be, and doing all the things required to help to build up the strength to make it happen. They make no excuses for why they haven’t achieved what they want, and they don’t let anything stop them.

Most importantly it is never kidding themselves that the path will be all smooth sailing. They are aware of pitfalls, whether through experience or research. Beyond that, they know there will be hurdles and potholes that they can’t even imagine.

Those they know about they, they prepare for. Those they don’t, they anticipate or expect. Rather than being weighed down by the unexpected, they are mentally prepared to be able to overcome the hurdle and carry on to their path to resilience and success.