Desperate Times – Defining Moments
Sun Tzu said, “For it is precisely when a force has fallen into harm’s way that is capable of striking a blow for victory.”
Ease defeats us. Difficulty inspires us.
Desperate times are defining moments.
Definition
We see ourselves most clearly in the dark.
People rise when the choice is fight or perish. Expect the most from people who have the most to lose.
Desperate times make things clear.
Take Advantage of Desperate Times
#1. Defiance
An enemy brings out your best. We see what we love by what we hate. Fighting AGAINST generates instant energy.
Churchill galvanized England by mocking Hitler. He called him a “bloodthirsty guttersnipe” a “gangster” and a “maniac of ferocious genius.”
Defiance is good but we need more. We need something to fight FOR. Fighting AGAINST generates quick energy. Fighting FOR provides direction. When all you do is fight an enemy, you’re lost when it’s defeated?
#2. No Sugar
Use pain, anger, and fear to energize resolve.
Churchill never sugarcoated difficulty. He said, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.”
The brutal truth inspires us.
Flaunt difficulties. Remain optimistic. Churchill said they had no one to rely on but each other. He described their desperate situation and called Britain to make it their “finest hour.”
Ron Golding, who was in the RAF, recalled “After those speeches, we wanted the Germans to come.”
#3. Play to Win.
You lose when you play not to lose.
Protect gains and practice proactive aggression. Innovate when your back is against the wall. Be bold.
Once you define the enemy, fight it. When Hitler started bombing London, Churchill bombed Berlin.
“We shall fight on the beaches… we shall never surrender.”
Turn desperate times into defiance, clarity, and resolve.
What are some advantages of desperate times?
How can leaders use desperate times as an advantage?
How to Have Grit When You Want to Quit – Leadership Freak
Read: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Read: Churchill: Walking with Destiny
Although it is taken from a movie and not a true event, I have always liked the quote in The Dark Knight Rises: “Peace has cost you your strength. Victory has defeated you.” We can get soft when challenges dissipate and complacency sets in. We must continue to challenge ourselves or must have a mentor who puts challenges in front of us. I never want to be one who simply goes through motions each day—treating life like an assembly line.
I have always prided myself on being someone who can “do hard things.” Mainly because I had to. There was no one else to do them. I didn’t have a choice. Now that I do, I realize just what my experience has taught me about myself: That I really can do hard things – I didn’t just make that up to get me through it. It’s a comfort to know that no matter what happens, I have what it takes to get through it. I haven’t found a way to convey that effectively to people on my team, however.