RECOMMENDED: Controlled Environments for First Rodeos

You know what’s the worst? The worst is when you’re hit with some trouble in real life with real consequences and it’s also your very first exposure to challenge. The only thing worse than having your “first rodeo” is it being your first rodeo with consequences. Contrasting that with being inflicted with some sort of life trouble and it being your second, third, or twentieth rodeo, however, the choice is obvious. 

We do better with adversity when we’ve been there before. 

The fact of the matter is life has a strong track record for humbling humans. Life delivers seemingly unforeseen trials and tribulations without distimination and there seems to be plenty to go around. Since we’ve decided that it’s exceedingly problematic to deal with these tribulations as a novice, it begs the question as to how one would gain experience in this space without waiting for life to dish out the hardship. 

It’s for that reason that it’s highly recommended that you get your “first rodeo(s)” of managing adversity out of the way in a more controlled environment on your own volition. Since cancer, financial hardship, acts of God, and countless other adversities are out of our control and can inflict their wrath on us in the real world, we can gain exposure to adversity with more control and less risk by choosing it on purpose in structured ways in order to  train for life’s difficulties. Common ways to execute this include systematically exposing yourself to hardship via restriction (like fasting), enduring efforts that stretch the mind and the body (like endurance races), and even daily bouts of adversity like difficult training or cold exposure can be miniature, controlled practice for the real thing. That way when life gives you a gut punch, it’s at least your second rodeo.