STORIES

There is an old adage that “Adversity does not build character, it reveals it.” And while nobody in the world would dispute the chaotic landscape we find ourselves within, a little look in the mirror for all of us might be in order. The events of the past four months have been awful, but I wonder if maybe the problems are exacerbated by the culture we have collectively built the past couple of decades.

We really don’t know what the world will look like in the weeks, months or years ahead. We are yearning for things to feel a bit normal again, but our reality is that we simply don’t know how things are going to play out.

I love to tell my kids about all of my friends in my neighborhood when I was young. I barrage them with stories about building forts, riding our bikes all over creation and playing capture the flag until dark. As you can imagine, they are both pretty sick and tired of hearing about my amazing childhood and all of my great memories.

Our goals are normally pretty straightforward. We aspire to go to a certain college or make a specific team. We want to make a pile of money or rise to a level within an organization. But what happens when the goalposts move? What if those objectives feel unattainable or lose their merit?

I once visited my brother in Florida and he showed me a row of mind-blowing oceanfront mansions. Appropriately named “The Miracle Mile,” these homes had guest homes that had guest homes. They had multi-million dollar boats, infinity pools and lavish landscapes. These were clearly the homes of the rich and famous.

When things are going well, people often assume that they are in control. We think that business is rocking and that it must all be attributed to our individual efforts. We think that we have it all figured out and, in many instances, that confidence attracts more business. People love