This is hidden brain.
I'm Shankar Vedanta.
Some years ago, I got to talking with an investor.
By his own account, he was a one percenter.
Like many other successful Americans before him, he had overcome many challenges growing up.
And then he told me about the one thing in his life that made him sad.
His kids.
They were sweet and smart, but they lacked drive.
They had led easy lives.
He told me they didn't have the same hunger that had made him successful.
I've heard variations of the same story over the years.
People who have come through adversity will invariably tell you that their adversity played a central role in their success.
You're the godfather of technology.
You founded this company.
You're still thriving, and you came from such humble beginnings.
Tell me how you did.
Well, I think my favorite line is, I had all the disadvantages necessary for success.
I was jobless, a lone parent, and as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain without being homeless.
I now know from interviewing over 50,000 people over the years and my own personal experiences that everything that has happened to you can be used to strengthen you, if you're open to it.
This idea that hard times make us stronger has been touted so often and by so many people that we rarely stop to ask ourselves, is there any truth to this story?