October 2026

Written By Sam Totten
Join Meeting @ 11AM MST on Oct 21

Resilience

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”

– Maya Angelou

INTRO

We learn a lot about people by hearing about their successes, but often the experiences that shape us most are the ones that didn't go the way we wanted. Disappointment, failure, loss, and unexpected challenges have a way of teaching us things success can't.

EXERCISE

Give everyone a few minutes to reflect privately on three prompts:

  • Think about a difficult experience, disappointment, failure, or loss that shaped who you are today. What happened?

  • What did you learn from that experience—about yourself, other people, or life?

  • How does that lesson influence the way you show up today?

DISCUSSION

Break your team into groups of three. Give each person about 3-5 minutes to share, with the other two simply listening. No advice or trying to fix anything. After everyone has shared, give the trio another five minutes to discuss:

  • What did you learn about one another that you probably wouldn't have learned otherwise?

Bring the group back together. Instead of retelling stories that were shared, have a discussion around the following questions:

  • What themes did you notice?

  • What helps people move forward when things don't go according to plan?

  • What qualities tend to emerge through adversity?

Close the meeting by having everyone answer this question:

  • What has adversity taught you that you want to carry forward?

CLOSING

Resilience isn't just our ability to survive those moments. It's our ability to learn from them, grow through them, and allow them to shape who we become. When we only know someone's accomplishments, we know their résumé. When we understand some of what they've had to overcome, we begin to understand the person.

 
Sam Totten
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September 2026