Resilience in the face of hardship is one of the most appreciated quality of our time. You have to flex the muscle of your will power and stay the course, no matter what. But is it always a good thing?
You know the mantra: that which does not kill us, makes us stronger. But can this coping mechanism have a negative effect on us? Are there cases when the commitment to resilience is actually putting a strain on our psyche? Here are the 3 most common situations:
1. When you have unrealistic goals
While is admirable to reach for the stars, persisting for a long time in achieving something that really can’t be done may result in wasting your time and energy. There’s no point in doing that. In other words, knowing when to quit is as important as dreaming big.
MORE: Allowing Yourself To Feel Negative Emotions Is Actually Good For You
2. When you remain in a bad situation
Because we are taught that perseverance is an extremely valuable quality, we tend to stay in bad situations more than we should. An abusive relationship, a demoralizing job or a corrupt environment are the kind of situations that we’d better get out of as soon as possible.
MORE: Studies Reveal The Only Thing That’s Worse Than Being Unemployed
3. When you are too bold of a leader
If you are a leader and don’t have a realistic image about yourself, you might not know or admit your limits. Overestimating your abilities can make you unable to adapt to new information and conditions. In other words, what made you succeed can also be the source of your failure.
MORE: Did You Know You Can Catch Happiness?
As with other traits, resilience can make us endure things that we’ve never imagined we could. But it can also make us lose sight of our own limits. It’s important to know the difference between being resilient and being stubborn or self-destructive. Please, share this!
