We often hear that resilience can make us stronger. The philosopher, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, once said that “difficulty strengthens the mind as labor does the body.” Nietzsche (and Kelly Clarkson) riffed on “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” In their book, Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, Adam Grant and Sheryl Samberg argue that we can think of resilience as a muscle that can be built up. In that sense, it seems that the best way to develop resilience is to go through hardship. However, in the same way that too much muscle mass can put a strain on the heart, I think one can have too much resilience for their own sake.

Today, I discuss the idea of the “resilient trauma survivor.” I explain why I think people can have too much resilience. I share how I “do” resilience through overconfidence and unbound optimism. I also highlight the dark side of too much resilience in leadership, organizations, and, by extension, team effectiveness.

“There’s no doubt resilience is a useful and highly adaptive trait; however, when taken too far, resilience creates resistance.” - Karen Goldfinger Baker

This week on the Trauma Hiders Club Podcast:

• Notes on resilience from the ancient world to modern times
• The “resilient trauma survivor” and why too much resilience can be a hindrance
• My version of expressing over-the-top resilience
• The dark side of the resilient superhero

Where High Achievers Get Through Shit - TOGETHER

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