The Survivors... What Did They Do?! Part1

Life is like a turbulent sea, teeming with colliding waves of hardships and adversities. The survivors—and only the survivors—are those who did not surrender. They bravely faced the high waves, sometimes through labor and perseverance, and other times through patience and waiting until the right time and the right opportunities arrived. The survivors did everything the drowning could not do; thus, they saved their lives and achieved their goals, successfully and safely reaching the shore of safety.

Are you one of the survivors?!

Ibn Duraid al-Azdī said:

"It is not surprising how those who perished did so, but the marvel is how he who survived managed to survive!"

The Survivors... What Did They Do?!

They failed repeatedly, then rose again.

Do you know what the survivors did when they failed? Remarkably, their past failures never eroded their strong souls and high aspirations; instead, they pushed them to work harder, learn more, and adopt better methods to reach their goals. They were confident in themselves, realizing that what happened to them was not a personal failure, but merely a "failed result." They knew they possessed many of the ingredients for success that would enable them to achieve positive outcomes and start anew by embracing more innovative ideas and better strategies. Henry Ford once said: "Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."

The survivors realized that to rise from every stumble they experienced, they had to learn their primary lesson well: that life's crises and hardships are "inevitable," and no matter what they do, there is no escaping or running away from them. Their actual salvation lies not in defeating these forcefully striking powers, but in endurance, patience, and hard work—despite remaining under the sway of these forces—while constantly accepting destiny until God’s relief arrives.

When the survivors fail, they simply get back up again. They muster all their strength and do the following:

- They set new, specific goals with a clear strategy for achieving them, linked to a timeline for completion. They break their tasks down into smaller, manageable steps, advancing toward their goals at a steady and consistent pace.

- They do not focus on failure or mistakes, nor do they repeat the wrong methods they followed previously. Instead, they focus on how to succeed by adopting new approaches that lead them to their objectives effectively and easily.

- They distance themselves from a discouraging environment, as well as from those who undermine them and their efforts. Instead, they cultivate a better environment and build a circle of relationships with people who support and encourage them.

- They maintain self-confidence despite setbacks. Their internal dialogue is always supportive and works in their favor. They constantly repeat to themselves, "I can succeed," and the word "cannot" does not exist in their vocabulary.

- They always celebrate their progress, no matter how small, which allows them to feel the joy of achievement and motivates them to exert more effort until they reach their goals.

- They choose hope and optimism, operating with a positive mindset. Instead of dwelling on their mistakes, they minimize their impact and forgive themselves.

- They stay alert and focused on seizing the opportunities before them—or the ones they can create—which enable them to rise to the surface and survive.

Are you one of these survivors?!

Nelson Mandela once said:

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."