Customer Reviews

The Adversity Advantage: Turning Everyday Struggles into Everyday Greatness

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The Adversity Advantage taught me how to take life's challenges and uncertainties and use them to fuel a more purpose-driven life. Erik W. shares incredible adventures from his 7 summits climbs that leave you wanting more. I especially enjoyed the chapter about Erik's descent from 18,501 foot Mt. Elbrus on skis! Paul S. reveals events where corporations have had incredible adversity dumped on them, and by implementing Paul's methods they came out of the adversity in a much greater place than where they had been when the adversity struck. If there is one book to read that will teach you how to succeed in life... this is it.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Adversity Advantage because it drove me to re-examine how I react and respond to adversity in my own life. It taught me some new techniques for dealing with the obstacles I face every day. It's well written, balanced, and doesn't try to beat you over the head with theoretical jargon like many other books. Instead, it provides practical insight that everyone can understand and assimilate. Great job Mssrs. Stoltz and Weihenmayer !!

This is a decent stab at exercises to help you bounce back from adversity and develop reservoirs of resiliency and toughness. On the other hand, it switches from one author to another and is laden with acronyms and homespun wisdom. The chapter on "Suffering Well" was probably worth the price of admission, but for some reason the book just never was able to engage me.

Just gritting my teeth to the end to finish reading it was my own personal adversity quest, which is not a high compliment to pay.

This book is a powerful testimony to the human aspiration to stretch, grow and have meaning. The combination of real life stories and the body of research tells readers that they too can define their everyday greatness. It is not something that is bought, bestowed, borrowed or created...it comes from within. If you are looking for a recipe for the perfect life without having to do work read something else. If you are looking to set higher standards for yourself, your family and the world around you then this book will leave you laughing, crying and enthused to take on the next challenge!

Ludwig van Beethoven went deaf in his mid-20s, but still created sublime music. Albert Einstein's childhood teachers felt he had no academic potential, but he achieved works of genius. What if these brilliant individuals had quit pursuing their dreams, as they easily could have? Erik Weihenmayer became blind at 13, yet he is an accomplished mountain, ice and rock climber, and an expert skier, skydiver, long-distance biker and marathon competitor. Like Beethoven and Einstein, he had a real reason to quit pursuing hard goals. Instead, he decided to climb as high as he could, literally. Weihenmayer and leadership expert Paul G. Stoltz, his co-author, offer a gripping story about turning adversity to your advantage. They explain how to use misfortune to strengthen your character and realize your goals, no matter how difficult. Weihenmayer's first-person inserts and narratives about people who conquered trouble are particularly compelling. getAbstract highly recommends this inspiring celebration of indomitable spirit. It teaches a profound lesson about how bravely facing hardship can enrich your life.

The first thing you might notice about this book is that it is not written with the typical 'shrink' perspective. It is neither condescending, patronizing, or aloof. Instead, it is written by two down-to-earth individuals with enormous successes who truly inspire. Reading about Erik's background and achievements makes the book read more like an entertaining novel than anything else and learning about the adversity he has overcome makes his inspiring attitude infectious. I doubt anyone who reads this book will be disappointed with their decision to try it.

I recommend Erik's book to anyone who has ever had an obstacle in their path they thought they could not overcome! You can do it, just like Erik. Read it and recommend it to others.

Several years ago, I heard Mr. Weihenmayer give a motivational speech and he seemed like a very interesting guy. I picked this book up because I thought it might a continuation of his "Touch The Top Of The World" book, which I thought was pretty well done. I've worked with blind skiers before. I've also done a bit of climbing (not anything close to world class peaks)so the double connections (blind people doing hard things and climbing) attracted me. So...I bought the book. Apparently, Mr. Weihenmayer got hooked up somehow with those who are selling a "theory" about adversity (the AQ). That was a mistake my climbing friend! The whole AQ thing is really pretty silly. It's not a theory at all---just a string of homespun homilies designed to(try to) help others deal with what life brings and, of course, hopefully sell books and speeches. To call it "landmark research" or even plain old research is simply not true. There are a good number of interesting and helpful self-help books out there. Some of them are direct and honest---the author or authors simply suggest that they believe certain things to be true and they are writing them down for everyone's consideration. Others are actually real science...the author or authors of those books are careful in their claims and objective in approach. Nothing is being "sold" in those books. This book, however, mixes those two things up and pop psychology is presented as science. Not a good approach!!!!!!!

TERRIFIC! Outstanding Book! I'm a great admirer of Erik's, and expected a lot from this book. My expectations were exceeded. Steven Covey's forward puts it into brilliant focus when he says "...the very process of studying this book led me to look carefully at myself with an awareness of how the challenges of my life can be the fuel that will enable me to swim against the stream, against cultural currents, against all forms of adversity inherrent in my most important goals." And further "....has inspired me to develop a greater appreciation for adversity, and to see the mother lode of wisdom and possibilities to be found in adversity...inspired me to be an alchemist, to turn lead into gold". "Inspired" is the operational word. Erik's life is inspiring, and his ability to translate his hard-won experiences into meaningful and positive, constructive, life-changing methods and techniques is his true brilliance and the brilliance of this book. A "must read" for anyone who is seriously committed to personal growth and development.

I read Touch The Top and have also personally heard Eric speak. This was motivation for me to read The Adversity Advantage. I read the new book in 3 days over the Christmas holiday and it proved to be an enjoyable gift for me.
My enjoyment began with the Foreward by Steven Covey. It distilled a lot about adversity into a succinct summary and related how the book would deal with such. Plus, I generally like Mr. Covey's work very much.
I really enjoyed Eric's descriptions of challenges he and his colleagues were confronted with in real life action on the slopes. And how decisions were made, carried out, and the results. I felt like I was sitting around listening to Eric over a meal or in a group dialogue. It was very communicative and understandable. AND, it made me think about adversity that I have personally faced in the past, how I dealt with it (successfully and unsuccessfully), and things that are going on in my life today. So the net result was a very enjoyable reading experience and something unintended--introspection into some of my own personal actions.
Some of the suggested "dealing with adversity" processes were a bit dry for me. I was not really seeking such in this read. But Eric's commentary more than offset anything else. Just to think about what Eric does and the attitude he brings to these adventures makes me think again about some of my so called "challenges." I recommend the book and I recommend this man's personal model for us all!