Why your outlook may brighten if you view setbacks as a test

No one gets anywhere in life without facing and overcoming adversity.
Obstacles and setbacks are something we all have to deal with, but the way we do it predicts the outcome. Deal with them in a negative way and they will quickly defeat you. Deal with them in a positive way and you will come out on top. Throughout my own struggles, one of the most important lessons I’ve learned is this: There’s no such thing as failure — there are only tests.
Problems are stepping-stones
You can’t win without going through obstacles. Any time we have a goal that’s huge, opposition to that goal will arise in the form of problems. The best way to look at those obstacles is as stepping-stones.
Those stepping-stones are tests we have to pass to move forward. When we look at setbacks not as failures but as tests, it enables us to learn from them rather than be crushed by them. In passing those tests, we obtain nuggets of knowledge that will help us continue to progress toward obtaining our goals.
Smile at opposition
As you’re moving forward, do not be immobilized by opposition. Instead, smile at it. Attack it with all you have. Look at it and ask, “What am I going to get out of this experience?” Face it 100 percent and take from it the things you will need. Those lessons learned will help prepare you to reach what you have asked for and the goals you have set.
Have faith
Realize that any time you ask for something, you carry the responsibility that comes with the asking. You have to go through troubles and negotiate a learning curve in order to gain the knowledge you’ll need to sustain your journey to your destination. Things will most likely get worse before they get better. The way to survive those trials is to have faith both in yourself and in God — that faith and confidence will help carry you through.
Take care
While you’re going through the bad times you have to remember to enjoy life. Take it one step at a time and live in the present. Don’t overexert yourself. Take care of your body. Don’t let stress sneak up on you. Take time off, relax … then attack the opposition in full force.
While it’s tempting to try to control as much as possible — your business, your circumstances, your personal life — the truth is you can’t control everything. Remember to only control what you can control — namely, yourself. Keep yourself in the best shape you can be in physically, emotionally and mentally.
Doing so will prepare you to deal with obstacles in the most constructive, positive way so you can make it all the way to the top. ●