Title: Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success
Author: Newman, Rick
Call Number: 650.1 N554R 2012
Subjects: Success in Business; Self-realization; Career
Changes
Number of Pages: 225
ISBN: 9780345527837
Book Description
(from the inside of the book cover):
Let’s face
it: setbacks happen, and failure is always a possibility But here’s the good
news: Amazing success has been achieved by people who once fell flat on their
faces The secret lies in how we respond to life’s bumps and potholes and unwelcome
detours-from getting fired or losing a business to enduring a professional
rejection or pursuing a passion that fails to pan out. Misfortune, it turns
out, can be a springboard to success.
 |
| Tim Westergren |
In
Rebounders, U.S News & World Report journalist Rick Newman examples the
rise and fall-and rise again of some of our most prolific and productive
figures in order to demystify the anatomy of resilience. He identifies nine key
traits found in people who bounce back that can transform a setback into the
first step toward great accomplishment. Newman turns many well-worn axioms on
their head as he shows how virtually anybody can improve their resilience and
get better at turning adversity into personal and professional achievement.
- Setbacks can be a secret weapon: They often teach vital things you’ll never learn in school, on the job, or from others.
- There are smart ways to fail. Once familiar with them, you’ll be more comfortable taking risks and less discourage if they don’t pan out.
- “Defensive pessimism” trumps optimism: Planning for what could go wrong is often the best way to ensure that it doesn’t.
- Know when to quit: Walking away at the right time can free the resources you need to exploit better opportunities.
- “Own the suck”: When faced with true hardship, taking command of the pain and sorrow-rather than letting it command you-lays the groundwork for ultimately rising above it.
 |
| John Ratzenberger |
In this
uncertain and unstable time, Rebounders lays out the new rules for success and
equips you with the tools you need to get ahead and thrive.
My Reading:
What makes
a rebounder? According to certain research people who had experienced moderate
amounts of adversity turned out to be the healthiest, with the lowest levels of
emotional distress and the highest levels of satisfaction. It says enduring a
few slings and arrows can make people happier than living a charmed life and
experiencing none at all (page 5). This saying reminds me of the “No pain no
gain” saying.
 |
| Jack Bogle |
Resilience
is the core strength of a Rebounder and there are one-third of us who was born
with natural antibodies against stress. But don’t worry if you belong to the
other two-third for resilience is as learnable as any other skill (page 7). The
resilient group has three qualities in common: They remained committed to their
work even when conditions got tough, avoiding the kind of gossip,
recrimination, and political infighting that’s tempting to engage in but
usually accomplishes little; they believed they could do something to control
what happened to them, which helped prevent them from feeling powerless; they
view unexpected change as a chance to grow or find opportunity, which made them
optimistic even as they knew they faced stressful challenges (page 6-page 7).
The word resilience reminds of me of some Chinese sayings:
 |
| Tammy Duckworth |
置之死地而後生: burn
one's self and then (reborn / relive) from the ash. One could say: *Despair
gives courage to a coward.
*From despair comes a new hope.
*From despair comes a new hope.
浴火重生: She who
quits not within, will soon reinvigorate without.
Let me
borrow some inspiring sayings from the featured characters in the book:
Jack Bogle-I have
come to regard failure as another essential of leadership. It is often best if
things do not come too easily in life. Turn disaster into triumph (page 41).
Jon Luther-Jon
summoned Rebounder skills that helped him identify his weaknesses, strengthen
his own capabilities, and sustain the confidence it takes to keep taking risks
(page 52). I didn’t have that four-year degree. I’ve always been a continuous
learner. And I haven’t peaked yet (page 54). And the author states further: the
thing that differentiates strivers from settlers isn’t always a fancy degree or
a comfortable career or a quick rise to stardom. Sometimes it’s the stumbles
that reveal what you still need to learn, stumbles that might not happen if you
never ventured beyond familiar terrain (page 54).
Tim Westergren-You can be bold and humble at the same time.
Being humble means 1) you listen, 2) you also don’t get caught up in the
trappings of success which can be very corrupting for most people. Tim sees
adaptability and self-sufficiency as core survival skills (page 81).
 |
| James Blake |
Personally, I strongly agree with
what the author states. There was this interaction I had with a patron that
still stays vividly with me; I consider it one of my biggest failures at work.
To me, once I had done something well the success belongs to yesterday and my
mind would begin to race for the next goal. If one never failed or stumbled one
would never realize what bitterness or soreness tastes like. Even when one has
passion one would still get stabbed by adversity, disappointment, frustration
or failure when one didn’t pay enough attention or got too comfortable at what
one was good at.
 |
| Thomas Keller |
The author
sums up the book by listing nine attributes of rebounders. They are:
- They accept failure
- They compartmentalize emotions
- They have a bias toward action
- They change their minds sometimes
- They prepare for things to go wrong
- They’re comfortable with discomfort
- They’re willing to wait
- They have heroes
- They have more than passion
I would like to finish up my
summary by the saying from the Soldier’s Creed (page 165):
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I
will never quit.
I
will never leave a fallen comrade.
Reference:
The Elements of Persistence-Thomas Edison-Inventor
When Hardship is a Privilege-John Clifton Bogle (known as Jack)-Vanguard
The Dangers of Optimism-Jon Luther-CEO of CA One, Popeye’s,
Dunkin’s
How Passion Misleads-Lucinda Williams-Grammy winner
When to Quit-Tim Westergren-Founder of Pandora (Internet
radio)
When Hard Work Isn’t Enough-James Blake-Tennis Champ
The Bright Side of Burnout-Majora Carter-McArthur Foundation
Genius Award Receiver
How to Improvise-John Ratzenberger-Main Character in the TV
series “Cheers”
What Could Go Wrong-Reed Hastings-Netflix CEO
What Trumps Passion-Thomas Keller-The Best Chef in America and
owner of The French Laundry
Own The Suck-Tammy Duckworth-Pilot of the Black Hawk and top
officer in the Department of Veterans Affairs
From Wallower to Rebounder-Joe Torre-baseball players and
manager of the New York Yankees
 |
| Joe Torre |
 |
| Reed Hastings |
 |
| Jon Luther |
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