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Discussion » Questions » Life and Society » Know of anybody who turned failure or adversity into success?
Benedict Arnold

Know of anybody who turned failure or adversity into success?

Harry Truman said, "A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." Was he right?

Posted - February 27, 2017
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Responses


  • 10026
    Sure!  Many of us have.  Here's one from years ago.  It was freezing cold and we still wanted to play outside.  Back then, our slides were made of metal.  Luckily, many of our moms had wax paper.  Instead of not being able to play outside, we bundled up, with our parents help, and slid down the frozen slide on wax paper!  We went really fast and it was a blast!!
      February 27, 2017 9:26 PM MST
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  • Sounds like you had smart parents, Merlin. (Thanks for the card. I sent you an email but you probably know that already.)
      February 27, 2017 9:29 PM MST
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  • 10026
    Hi Didge~  You're welcome :) :)  I'm so glad you received it.  I know it might have been a day late; but, like a nerd, I had the last part of the address wrong.  I didn't know you sent me one back.  I'll go look now! :) :)

    Looking back, I think you might be right.  My parents were pretty ingenious.  We didn't have all the toys other kids did and they made the best out of what they could find. Big smiles !
      February 27, 2017 9:43 PM MST
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  • Its true i think... some see it as an example to beat... others get beaten down by it ... spirit ..resourcefulness... the ability to see yourself on the other side of the problem... i think they're all part of the solution... then there's the opposite.... those who can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory
      February 27, 2017 9:44 PM MST
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  • I actually used that phrase in my question and then deleted it in case it confused. I know the types you mean. 

    One Australian example of failure into success was Paddy Pallin who lost his job during the Great Depression. He started sewing rucksacks in his parents' garage and built that up into a multi-million dollar business with many stores (his own and others) selling his products. Paddy once said, "The best place to be is here. The best time to be here is now." It's a philosophy worked well for him. 
      February 27, 2017 10:06 PM MST
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  • Thanks Didge  ... i didn't know that story
      February 27, 2017 10:44 PM MST
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  • 5614
    Aye, indeed. A winner sees a solution in every problem. A loser sees a problem in every solution and reason not to engage. Ancient wisdom that must be remembered and passed on. This post was edited by O-uknow at February 28, 2017 12:31 AM MST
      February 27, 2017 9:51 PM MST
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  • Well said, O. 
      February 27, 2017 10:07 PM MST
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  • 2960
    There's a problem with this.
      February 27, 2017 10:09 PM MST
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  • 2960
    You only hear about the handful of successes and barely hear about the millions of failures.
      February 27, 2017 10:12 PM MST
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  • Who wills, can; who tries, does; who loves, lives. -- Anne McCaffrey

      February 27, 2017 10:19 PM MST
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  • 2960
    "I died working in a factory." -- Unknown worker
      February 27, 2017 10:21 PM MST
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  • I've had a couple of jobs as bad as that. Fortunately there was always a way out.
      February 27, 2017 10:33 PM MST
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  • I was terrible at sports through my teenage years and then, at the age of twenty-five, I discovered bowling.
    It was something that I could do and, before I quit bowling, do well. I was a Regional Pro for two seasons
     and held a 196 average in the Professional Bowlers Association during that time period.

    That may not be considered special in today's game of bowling, because scoring conditions have more than likely improved, 
    but back then it was a pretty respectable average for a guy who had a day job. I, at least, considered it a "success."

      February 27, 2017 10:16 PM MST
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  • Congrats, Alf. That's great. I was also the odd man out in school sport. I couldn't run worth a damn and always finished last in my races. Then, when I was 40, I discovered long distance running. Spent 10 very satisfying years running marathons and competing in triathlon. Neither I nor our sports teacher knew that not everybody is built for speed. 

    I didn't accomplish anything like you did but it was pretty satisfying, nonetheless. 
      February 27, 2017 10:22 PM MST
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  • I'm surprised your sports teacher didn't find a race for you ... unless you didn't press the issue or long distance wasn't available in your program. Oh well, you finally found your spot. Well done!
      February 27, 2017 10:54 PM MST
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  • The longest event I could compete in within the school was 440 yards. There were longer races at the interschool competitions (up to a mile) but even that was far too fast for me. My best distances were 10 km up to a 42 km marathon. 
      February 28, 2017 2:59 AM MST
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