The Adversity Formula: Inspirational Lessons from History

Early in the 2020 pandemic, author Steven E. Mason began to look at the lives of some of the great personalities from history, seeking inspiration to help him deal with the Covid-19 crisis. He discovered that many of these people had experienced significant adversity on their path to success. After sharing these stories with friends and colleagues, positive feedback led to the writing of this book. The Adversity Formula: Inspiring Stories of Hope from History looks at the lives of thirty remarkable characters from history and how they dealt with adversity. The book goes on to provides a formula which readers can apply to their own lives when faced with major challenges. The text focuses on the lives of a group of inspiring individuals mainly from the 20th Century: fifteen men and fifteen women, across a range of categories, including scientists, entrepreneurs, humanitarians, politicians, entertainers, sports stars and war heroes. The book looks at the adversity these greats faced and what they achieved despite it. More importantly, the book looks at how they dealt with the adversity they faced, often using it to their advantage.
The book then identifies five characteristics that each individual used which were key to how they dealt with the challenges facing them. The traits are then packaged into a general formula for tackling those challenges, emphasising that it’s not just the experience of adversity but the way people respond to it which determine a successful outcome. The Adversity Formula: Inspiring Stories of Hope from History will be of interest to those who enjoy history and those who are interested in self-development, especially during difficult times. The book offers us all hope in the face of life’s major challenges.