17 Best Examples of Adversity (2023) (2023)

Good examples of adversity for a resume include overcoming a disability, rejection, poverty, or striving for success.

Some inspiring examples of real-life adversity include Helen Keller, who became a successful writer despite being blind and deaf, and JK Rowling, who was a struggling single mother before publication.harry potter.

Below is a full list of ideas on how to talk about adversity.

Examples of cases of difficulty in a CV

Here are some ideas to include in a resume, cover letter, or college application essay to discuss how you overcame adversity.

1. Overcoming a disability

Physical and cognitive impairments can seriously hamper people's lives. For example, when you are suffering.Dyslexia, you will find it much more difficult to read than your peers.

However, famous people with dyslexia like Whoopi Goldberg, Richard Branson, and Steven Spielberg are well known successful people who overcame their dyslexia to become successful.

2. Overcome rejection

Most people in life have gotten over rejection at some point. This could be a rejection from a university, a scholarship, a promotion or a job.

It's important to emphasize that you did something to get up and try again. For example, you might talk in an interview about not getting a college athletic scholarship and instead working part-time while in college.

that can showExamples of his tenacity, perseverance, flexibility and determination.

3. Prove someone wrong

Sometimes we have a teacher, mentor or colleague who decides that we are not good enough to continue.

Succeeding despite being told you're not good enough is a great way to show that you can overcome adversity.

Examples of when this happened are when Thomas Eddison's teacher told him that he could never learn due to lack of him.cognitive flexibility(invented the light bulb) and was told by Michael Phelps's teacher "...that he would never achieve anything and never be successful".

Phelps won 28 medals at the Olympic Games.

4. Growing up poor

People born into poverty willstatisticalthey earn less money throughout their lives and are less likely to graduate from school than their wealthier peers.

Poverty is clearly a misery that must be overcome by the disadvantaged. They have less access to good schools, tutors, books and resources.

However, some models may show that you can overcome the odds of poverty in order to prosper. Examples include Jim Carey (whose family lived out of a car for part of his life), JK Rowling (who was a struggling single mother before finding successharry potter) and Dolly Parton, who grew up in a one-room cabin with a dirt floor.

5. Being a refugee

Refugees are one of them.more resilient peoplein the world. Leaving dangerous and unsafe conditions in their homes, they fled for their lives. They then had to start a new life in a foreign culture, often with very little money.

Overcoming all challenges and continuing to succeed shows that you have the resilience to overcome life's adversities.

Famous refugees who made it to their rocky start in life include Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, and Madeleine Albright.

6. Being an immigrant

Immigrants and refugees share similar stories. As refugees flee trauma, which means greater adversity, refugees and immigrants must start anew when they arrive in their new country.

Many immigrants have difficulty adjusting to a new culture. Sometimes their professional qualifications are not recognized abroad and, despite their previous successes,social status, you have to start at the bottom again.

Many also emigrate with very little money.

However, we can look to famous immigrants like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elon Musk, and Mila Kunis as examples of people who have experienced immigration and been successful.

7. Failure as a student

Most of us can relate to a time when we struggled in our studies. It is rare that someone excels in all subjects in school.

When you think of an example of problems in school or college, think of a time when you had difficulty with a school subject. Think about how you reacted: Did you study harder, spend more time on homework, or even have to retake the test?

8. Fired or being fired

Getting fired isn't fun for anyone. But after the initial shock or apprehension, you can reflect on how you regained your confidence.

For example, many people lost their jobs during the 2008 economic crisis and again during the 2021 global shutdown. So this is not a unique experience for anyone.

You may need to learn more, reflect on whether you are on the right career path, or find a mentor to help you overcome your weaknesses.

9. Suffering an injury

Injuries can make it difficult for people to do everyday tasks that used to be easy for them.

The injury may have made you reflect on how much you appreciated everyday tasks.

For example, if you broke your arm, suddenly simple tasks like getting dressed require a lot of thought and reflection.

By discovering new ways of dressing, you will have developed resilience and flexibility skills that can help you overcome the adversities you have faced.

10. Suffer discrimination

Discrimination is a very sad example of the difficulties that people face. You must overcome discrimination based on race, sex, disability, class, or any other factor to be successful.

A great example of someone who experienced discrimination and achieved their goals is Jackie Robinson, who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in modern times.

Jackie Robinson endured taunts from players and fans alike, but did not retaliate, knowing that retaliation would set back the cause of MLB integration for decades.

Today he is celebrated as a peaceful man who broke down discriminatory barriers for the good of all.

Examples of overcoming adversity in real life

11. JK Rowling

There are many stories of writers who have been repeatedly rejected by publishers because of their famous books. JK Rowling is perhaps the most famous.

Rowling was a single mom who struggled until she found success.harry potter. But she had her firstharry potterBook rejected 14 times before finally being published.

Today, Rowling is an example of a millionaire and one of the richest women in the world.

12. Alberto Einstein

Albert Einstein fled Europe before World War II and found refuge in the United States. After fleeing persecution, he helped the Americans during the war and later won the Nobel Prize in Physics.

13. Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, but not without adversity. It took him over 1,000 tries before he finally got a stable lamp that worked. The problem was finding the right flint! Edison said of his struggle: "Great success is built on failure, frustration, and even disaster."

14. Walt Disney

Walt Disney has been through a lothard timesin their life. His father was an abusive man, so Disney went into hiding and drew cartoons. As an adult, his business failed one time and the next suffered many problems during World War II.

In the midst of all his troubles, he doubled down and worked twice as hard to ensure success.

Regarding his life, Disney is quoted as saying, "All the adversity I've had in my life, all the problems and obstacles have made me stronger. You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick to the mouth could be the best in the world for you".

15. Bright basement

Helen Keller went blind and deaf at the age of 19 months. That hasn't stopped her from writing 14 books and being a global human rights activist.

Keller learned to read Braille and listen by touching her lips. She earned a college degree despite being deaf and blind (and she was a woman in her time) and became a disability rights activist. Keller has also written several books.

16. Dr. Seuss

If you thought JK Rowling had a hard life, think of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as the children's book author Dr. Seuss.

Doctor Seuss had his first book rejected by 20 to 43 publishers. Despite these setbacks, Seuss became the most celebrated children's book author of all time.

17. Tommy Caldwell

World-renowned rock climber Tommy Caldwell suffered a setback when his left index finger was severed in a machinery accident in his backyard.

Caldwell's career was considered over. Your fingers are of course extremely important to being a climber!

However, Caldwell relearned how to hold the stones without his important index finger. People didn't think he would perform at a high level again, but he was the first climber to free ascent the El Capitan Sunrise Wall in Yosemite National Park.

See also:

• Examples of Patience
• talent list
• Examples of integrity
• examples of honesty

Conclution

Adversity comes in many different forms. It can be physical, cognitive or even in the form of discrimination. It's not something that any of us ask for, but our ability to overcome it through hard work andpersistenceis the most important thing. Use the examples above for inspiration for writing about adversity in a college essay, cover letter, or resume.