Real-life resilience - JK Rowling

Yesterday was International Women’s Day and it’s always energizing to see the world unite around this day. I’ve previously shared real-life stories of many women in The Resilience Brief, and today feels appropriate to continue that line of thinking. If this was forwarded to you by a thoughtful friend or colleague, you can sign up here.

Every time I do a workshop or a keynote about resilience, I emphasize that resilience isn’t just about bouncing back. It’s about bouncing forward with growth through the adversity. It means that we don’t just end up where we were before, but we are actually improve because of the challenges we face.

It’s no surprise then that there are endless examples of females who feature (and will continue to feature) predominantly in this newsletter. They have gone through hell, and emerged to be stronger. They have overcome the odds stacked against them to be a bright light for the next generation. Here are just a few to mention.

• Arianna Huffington. Collapsing from exhaustion was her wake-up call. She transformed her experience into a global movement that advocates for well-being and sustainable success.

• Helen Keller. Deaf and blind before the age of two, she refused to be limited by circumstances. She became a renowned author, activist, and champion for the disabled.

• Eleanor Roosevelt. Once considered too shy for public life, she redefined the role of First Lady, using her voice to champion human rights and social change.

• Bethany Hamilton. After losing her arm in a shark attack at 13, she returned to professional surfing and won a national title.

• Ellen Latham. Fired at 40, she built a billion-dollar fitness empire (Orangetheory) from her spare bedroom, showing that reinvention is always possible.

The list of inspiring, resilient women goes on and on and it’s easy to add someone new each week. This time, I want to focus on a story that includes rejection, perseverance… and a little bit of magic.

Before she became the first billionaire author with the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling had almost nothing to her name. Hers is a true story of rags to riches.

Rowling had always had ambitions of being a writer, even at a young age, but it wasn’t until later in life that she found any real success. In fact, it was only after she went through the depths of hell that she was able to find her success.

“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” - JK Rowling

I love this quote from her. It’s brutal, but it’s real. From our biggest failures we have the potential for anything.

At her lowest point, Rowling struggled with depression. In her own mind, she was a failure. A failure at marriage, writing, being a mother…everything. She was living in Edinburgh, a single mother surviving on government welfare and barely able to afford a working typewriter. She was battling depression and was clinging to a tiny thread of hope that she would one day be a successful writer.

The story of Harry Potter was her only real lifeline. She sent it to book publishers and 12 rejected it, one of them telling her to “get a day job”. Finally, a twist of luck was the pivotal moment. A publisher at a small publishing house (Bloomsbury) gave the chapter to his 8-year old daughter. The girl read the chapter voraciously and demanded the rest of the book. That was enough to take a small risk and the first print run was just 500 books. It was enough for the spark to be lit, and Harry Potter went on to become one of the most successful book franchises in history, selling over 600 million copies and inspiring a global fanbase.

How on earth did Rowling get through it?

It’s easy to digest these stories of success in hindsight - we revel in the success and tell ourselves that we simply must keep going to succeed. But I often ask myself what would have been going through her mind when she was at her lowest of lows. It would have been scary as hell, but I think the quote above offers a peek into her mindset.

It was a moment to acknowledge that it simply can’t get any worse than this. But it’s what she was able to generate from that feeling - hope. I haven’t interviewed Rowling (yet!) but I imagine she had a few tools in her toolkit at the time.

First, she had a genuine passion for writing and storytelling. The Harry Potter universe wasn't just a commercial project - it was her purpose: a rich world she felt compelled to share. This intrinsic motivation likely sustained her when external rewards weren't present. We must constantly ask ourselves what our key priorities are. Remember the big rocks in the glass jar.

Her daughter would have likely been both a responsibility and a source of motivation. As a single mother, Rowling needed to provide, but I imagine that her daughter would have also given her a reason to build a better future. Another rock!

The creative process itself would have likely been therapeutic. Writing can be a powerful coping mechanism during depression and hard times, often providing an escape and a sense of control. We can it ourselves just with journaling.

Rowling also possessed remarkable determination. Despite numerous rejections, she continued to believe in her work and persist in seeking publication.

To summarize, we can never forget that resilience is a choice - we can acknowledge that it is a skill we can develop. These combined factors above are ultimately the opportunity we also have to create our own version of success.

As we recognize International Women’s Day, let’s take inspiration from the women like Rowling who have shown us that setbacks aren’t the end of the story. They’re just the beginning of something greater.

Until next time friends, stay resilient.

Carre @ Resilient Minds