The Strength to Rise Beyond Life’s Setbacks
This is a Sequel to the article “Resilience in Pursuit of Dreams” I wrote a few months back.
"All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them." – Walt Disney.
A few weeks ago, I decided to review my goals written earlier this year and see which ones I’ve accomplished. I found that despite all the challenges I had encountered this year, I had accomplished 50 percent of the set goals.
I was happy and surprised when I saw it. It made me realize that Lena Horne knew what she was talking about when she said, "It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s the way you carry it." The number of challenges I encountered this year alone was enough to make me give up on my dreams and the goals I had written down.
There have been times when I’ve just wanted to give up. Sometime in October, I told my mom how often I felt like quitting everything—job searching, writing, even applying to schools. I told her how exhausting it all felt and that the results seemed invisible despite my efforts, like pouring water into a sieve. I shared all of this with her through tears.
After listening patiently, she hugged me and said, “A tree doesn’t grow in a day. It begins as a seed, buried deep in the soil, where its first challenge is to survive the worms. Once it pushes through that, it grows into a sapling and faces even more obstacles–humans, animals, machines, and harsh weather–all before becoming a strong, towering tree that bears fruit and provides shade. My dear, if you look within, you’ll see growth in yourself, whether in your skills, personal growth, or job search. The growth is there, but you may not see it because you’re letting the struggles and successes of others cloud your view of your progress.”
The journey towards fulfilling our dreams is a crooked path, more like a thorny road. It is rarely straight with all the highs, lows, and struggles that challenge our strength, willpower, and dedication. Now, what pushes us to keep moving forward despite these challenges that come our way? It’s the desire to overcome.
James Dean’s words, “Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today”, garners a timeless truth about our dreams and the urgency to pursue them. Rereading this quote, James made me remember an Interview Emma Watson had where she said, "I don’t want other people to decide who I am. I want to decide that for myself." I relate to her because I don’t want someone to tell me how to live my life, nor do I want anyone to dictate what I can become or the direction I should take. One of the few things I decided to do early this year was to dream, and not just anyhow dream, but to dream big. In a way, my dream has always given me a sense of direction and purpose, but along the line, I realized that my dream isn’t enough alone. As St. James said, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” For a dream to be realized, resilience, work, and the willingness to stand every time I fall are required.
When I wrote down my goals early this year, I was optimistic. But by the second or third month, I started to lose hope, becoming certain that I’d never complete even half of them. Yet here we are, with 50 percent of those goals achieved. These goals were my dreams for the year. Like many dreamers, I was excited and motivated to complete them before the year’s end. Bo Bennett once said, “A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement,” suggesting that planning, goal-setting, and taking consistent action can be incredibly empowering. Empowered I was–at least until the initial motivation began to fade and the path ahead grew more challenging.
If you remember, in “Resilience in Pursuit of Dreams,” I described in detail some of the hurdles I faced early this year. Reflecting on them reminds me of Maya Angelou’s words: "You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated." I faced defeat after defeat and encountered countless circumstances that threw me off track. I even found what seemed like a promising job, one I thought would support my goals and align with my dreams. But over time, it became clear that it was limiting, uninspiring, and demotivating.
Despite my best efforts, I was caught in routines that drained my creativity and energy, leaving me wondering if I was still on the right path. Thankfully, with the support of friends and family, I could see the situation for what it was–a setback. A setback that wasn’t helping me realize my dreams or accomplish my goals. So, I made the difficult choice to let go and refocus. At that moment, the best thing I could do for myself was to stay resilient and keep working toward making my dreams a reality.
Thanks to the meeting I had with my director then for it was an eye-opener. I was able to rediscover myself for I felt lost and came to the conclusion of quitting my job. Henry David Thoreau once said, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." This David’s quote with C.S. Lewis’s “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream” reminded me of the power to restart my goal at any point in life as long as I don’t give up on it. It reminds me of my mum's words, “Delay is not denial.” Though life throws challenges, our dreams might be delayed or seem distant. As long as they are not lost, there is still hope for them and us. Instead, we should use the challenges we encounter as an opportunity to learn, adapt, and redefine our priorities.
I learned that in moments of doubt, returning to my main purpose and values can help clarify whatever direction I plan on taking. By rediscovering myself, I realized that when everything I desire and work hard for seems to be slipping through my fingers, I don’t need to be afraid to take a step back, recharge, and refocus. It also made me realize the essence of friends and family, for they were my support system during that period, and above all, they helped remind me of who I am, why I had started the journey in the first place, and the thing I had achieved and could still achieve. They are the real MVPs in my life that I don’t think I will be trading anytime soon or forever.
Remember, in Resilient in Pursuit of Dreams, I said the Japanese proverb, “Fall seven times, stand up eight,” became my motto. I don’t think I ever explained why It became my motto. Here it is. This proverb symbolizes the spirit of resilience, an important factor in every successful person. Our role models always talk about it in all forms and languages. It is easy to give in to the rejections and setbacks we encounter. However, the difference between my role model and me is that my role model was always ready to stand up every time he fell.
I found out that I couldn’t manage the challenge. I was ready not to fall again, so I called on my sister, who helped me become the overcomer I am now. She made me realize that overcoming challenges is just the start of standing up because we not only overcome the challenges but also acknowledge the struggles, ask for support, and become open to a new viewpoint. By confiding in her help reignite my drive towards the dream that I had lost sight of
As Tom Bradley says, “The only thing that will stop you from fulfilling your dreams is you.” While it is natural for us to feel defeated sometimes, by letting self-doubt and fear become a major part of our journey, we become our biggest obstacle. But we become overcomers by recognizing and still choosing to act despite their presence.
Am I an overcomer? Absolutely. Has the road become smoother? Not quite. There are still plenty of potholes along the way, but I've learned to navigate them with resilience, courage, and an unwavering determination to keep moving. My dreams remain as precious and achievable today as they were at the start of my journey–the moment I picked up a pen to write my first post here – Glass Slippers. Life has tested and is still testing my resolve and patience. But with hard work, consistency, and my heart set on growth, I know I can turn my dreams into a reality.
This Ugandan proverb, "Little by little, the bird builds its nest." literally explains the fundamentals of an overcomer. True resilience is found when we embrace the process, endure setbacks, and thrust in each step we take no matter how small it may be. We become an overcomer with an inch closer to our goals.
Norman Vincent Peale says, "Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! You cannot be successful or happy without humble but reasonable confidence in your powers." So, keep moving ahead, use the challenges as an inspiration, and believe in your dreams. Remember, every fall can be a stepping stone to growth, and every setback is an opportunity to prove your strength. Suppose you have not been able to achieve 50 percent of your year’s goals or started taking action for your dreams. In that case, you should start now by embracing the journey of an overcomer – rise, rebuild, and conquer your dreams just like I hid with this year’s goals, and I am still doing with my dream.
