How to Thrive in Harsh Conditions

The other day I was traveling near a very windy coastline, and noticed something peculiar:

ALL the trees were completely bent over.

No matter where we went, no matter the kinds of trees we saw, they ALL leaned away from the coast.

As I’m sure you can guess, the reason is obvious, and you’ve probably seen similar phenomena.

As the trees had grown, the powerful wind from the ocean blew with such force and constancy that the trees leaned in the opposite direction.

And miraculously, they weren’t just surviving. They were thriving.

What does this have to do with influence and success?

I remember my Dad telling me a story from when he was a teenager about when he saw a very large and impressive house perched on top of a hill in his neighborhood.

“What does THAT man do for a job?” he asked his parents.

My grandparents said the man painted oil refineries.

…In Canada.

…Way up in the Arctic Circle.

“Refineries need to be painted to protect against corrosion and harsh winters,” my grandfather explained, “But nobody likes doing it. And so he adapted his business to make it work. And since no one else likes to paint oil refineries in the Arctic Circle, he’s done very well for himself.”

That moment taught a powerful lesson: Just like the trees I saw along the coastline, successful people consistently learn how to adapt to the circumstances in front of them. Additionally, success is often hidden behind difficult problems other people avoid solving.

So often I hear people say:

“I’m going to wait until things get better till I start.”

“I’m going to hold off on taking the first step. The situation isn’t ideal.”

“I think a more convenient opportunity will come along.”

And so they spend their valuable energy searching for easier, convenient, and simpler… when the real secret is doing, trying, and adapting.

In his famous speech, Acres of Diamonds, Russell Conwell told the story of Ali Hafed… a man who left his farm in search of wealth and fortune in some far distant land, without ever discovering that his own house sat upon a literal diamond mine. Ali Hafed wandered and wasted his life thinking success was just over there… without realizing that success was right under his feet.

He simply had to adapt, change his perspective, and make his current opportunities work.

But as is the case with so many people, wandering and walking appears easier than digging.

So what about you?

What circumstances are you facing?

• What challenges are looming in front of you?
• Do you feel tempted to walk somewhere else?
• What things do you need to change to adapt to the current circumstances?
• What opportunities are your current habits preventing?

Change can be daunting, and scary. But every opportunity for success lies on the other side of adapting to change.

Just like those trees I saw on the windy coast — the ones that bent but never broke — you too can adapt to the forces around you.

The wind didn’t stop blowing for them. It never will. But rather than resist it, they learned to grow with it.

And in doing so, they didn’t just survive — they flourished.

You may not get to control the wind. But you do get to control how you grow.

And the people who become influential? The people who rise above the noise? They aren’t waiting for perfect weather. They’re learning how to lean into the wind and grow anyway.

Go bend with the wind this week,

Christian

CHRISTIAN HANSEN has gone behind the scenes in some of the biggest organizations in the world to find out the reasons why some people get chosen and why others don’t. As the #1 bestselling and LinkedIn Top Ten ranked author of “The Influence Mindset: The Art & Science of Getting People to Choose You” Christian helps teams and organizations who want to stand out and be the obvious choice. With degrees from Brigham Young University and The London School of Economics, he’s helped thousands of individuals position and sell themselves. A fan of international communication, history, and choral music, he currently lives in Utah with his wife. Reach him at: TheChristianHansen.com