I first heard this quote from an old friend....

I don't know the source of this quote, or who said it first.

But I believe it's true....

"What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger...."

Life is built on challenges. By taking up those challenges we grow and improve ourselves.

In fact, having someone OPPOSE you can SOMETIMES be a positive thing. For some people, it can be the impetus which spurs them on to achieve.

Having someone oppose you can evoke two ancient responses....

Fight or Flight.

It is deeply ingrained into our biology.... It's the ancient human response to danger since time immemorial....

Back in prehistoric times, a group of early humans accidentally stumbled across a woolly mammoth.

The mammoth could easily kill any one of them with a thrust of one of its sharp tusks. Fear rippled through the group of these early humans....

Their pupils dilated, they began to sweat, and their muscles became tense....

There were two responses built into their system.

Fight, or flight.

An instant decision had to be made -- stay and fight, or run away.

This ancient response is still built into our biological systems.

I've always had the tendency to stay and fight -- sometimes stupidly, I must admit.... But hey, that's me!

And that's how someone opposing you can make you stronger. Someone opposing you is like a threat. It triggers the fight or flight response.

Without that threat, it might be too tempting to lazily sit and watch TV and watch life pass you by.

But when someone opposes and threatens you, it FORCES a response. Fight or flight, and an instant decision.

And for those who stay and fight, they will probably learn from the experience.....

If it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger....

So if someone opposes you, remember....

It could be time for you to stay and fight that mammoth!

- Dien

although I can't tell you in what work. It's one of my favorite quotes as well.

Bob

I had no idea it was Nietzsche!

These philosophers are a funny bunch, if I may say so myself.... (No offense to all the philosophers out there! :)

I've actually thought quite a lot in the past about some of the issues Nietzsche dealt with, and come to some different conclusions from him regarding some issues....

But I don't think this is the right forum for me to espouse my "wisdom" on that sort of stuff.... :)

However, it is a great quote.... :)

Thanks for shedding light on this!

Cheers,

Dien

Good morning, Dien!

(Well at least it is early morning here in Central California).....

This has been one of my mantras in my life. One time I was talking to a new friend, sharing with her my life and she looked at me incredulously and said, "You have had a lot of really tough stuff happen to you!" and I thought, "I have?!"

It had never occurred to me, except to be thankful for it! Even goofy stuff, like for some reason my parents did not fund a car for me when I turned 16 like they did for my two brothers and sister older than me (or my younger brother which happened later!) In fact, I had to pay for my own driving school lessons, even taking the behind the wheel in a driving school car! I always said, "Ahhh, well, its building character!"

I think my mother knew: she always said about me: "Julie, when you set your mind to something, I know its going to happen!" I imagine the scariest thing for her was hearing in retrospect how awful my "post death threat" experiences were. She was visiting this Spring, and I shared with her some of those bleak times and she stood there, stock still...amazed. I suppose the fire flickering deep inside was what held me up and shone forth, though, because just as the quote goes, here I am, stronger than ever!

My father shared with me the history of my Family Name (Jordan). It is a name common to people whose ancestors included Crusaders, which is why it is seen in so many different European languages: Jourdaine, Giordano, the various spellings Jordan, Jordon, etc. The Crusaders carried water with them from the Jordan river to baptize their babies. Thus, the family name Jordan.

While I do not endorse the methods used by the Crusaders, perhaps it is some of their indominantible spirit that lives on in me.

Interesting thought.....thanks for the chance to reflect, Dien!

With Purpose and Passion,

JULIE


5 Passions.com

Hi Julie!

> This has been one of my mantras in my life.
> One time I was talking to a new friend,
> sharing with her my life and she looked at
> me incredulously and said, "You have
> had a lot of really tough stuff happen to
> you!" and I thought, "I
> have?!"

> It had never occurred to me, except to be
> thankful for it!

Julie, I completely agree!

I think life would be boring without challenges....

Okay, well maybe I'd find ways to amuse myself. :) But it would be "boringer"...! :)

I think this is how we grow....

Julie, you are a very mentally-strong woman, and an incredible inspiration to many of us.... :)

What you talk about is also how I view approaches to business ventures (or any other activity involving risk)....

I first think of what I could lose if it doesn't work. If it's not too bad, then I go ahead.

If it works, FANTASTIC!

But if it doesn't, then I win too.... I win from experience, and it's experience I can then build on....

And I also win from "building my character".... :)

As long as the financial down-side isn't too much, I figure that I win either way -- as long as I get out there and DO something!

Thank you Julie for sharing your stories about having a car to drive, and about the story of your name....

We could all learn from the attitude you had when you didn't get a car. Julie, you are someone who I believe will ALWAYS shine through.... We can all learn from your inspirational stories.... :)

Thank-you for sharing your experiences here, Julie.... I'm always thrilled to read what you have to say.... :)

Thanks! :)

Dien

Dien,

The internet is so strange.

When I searched (using my favorite search engine, http://www.ixquick.com) for this quote, I stumbled on this page which has some of the best lines I've ever seen collected in one place.

Many are pretty funny, if you're weird like I am. (And I'm pretty sure you are.)

Richard Dennis

PS - The title line was Dorothy Parker's.


Collected Quotations

Richard,

Thanks for that!

> Many are pretty funny, if you're weird like
> I am. (And I'm pretty sure you are.)

I'm flattered....

uh, I think.... :)

I thought many of those quotes were hilarious! :)

Here's one that I liked....

"I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to."

-- Elvis Presley

Aaahhh... those were the good old days! :)

But.... I don't think things have changed too much! :)

Cheers,

Dien

> "I don't know anything about music.
> In my line you don't have to."

> -- Elvis Presley Aaahhh... those were the
> good old days! :)

****"KC" the leader of KC and and the Sunshine Band, (not sure what his real name is) when he said something to the effect of, "Music in the 70's really said something".....I think his lyrics included such deep meaning as, "Thats the way Uh huh Uh huh I like it, Uh huh Uh huh!" and "Do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight. Get down get down get down get down get down tonight ba---by!"

Oh yeah! Deep meanings there!

Personally, on the quote page I thought Al Bundy's was quite enlightening.......lol....
(I can say that because I am a woman!)

Laughing still,

JULIE