People who overcome a particular hardship become excellent guides for the inevitable hardships of the future. Having survived something terrible is a tremendous skill that’s – by definition – hard to get, and yet we often don’t recognize it. “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” may or may not be true. But it certainly makes you a commodity.
The next time you’re doing a little self-inventory of your skills and the contributions you could make, don’t just think about the abilities you specifically tried to cultivate. Think about the trials and traumas you’ve endured. Think about what took a swing and you and couldn’t keep you down. Dig the bullet out of your arm and realize it might be made of gold.
Other people want to avoid those hardships, and your lessons can be invaluable to them. Still others have recently suffered similar fates and want a map of the road to recovery. There’s a big market for people who came out the other side. And it can be a great way to resolve some internal conflict, too – helping others is a great way to release a burden on your soul.
The Opportunity Machine 