--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Harnessing adversity is a discipline…" description: "\"Harnessing adversity is a discipline tailored to a world of unpredictable outcomes--a world where one can disturb, but not wholly direct, a living syst..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/richard-pascale-34660_adversity_harnessing-adversity-is-a-discipline-tai_183555.jpg" --- # Harnessing adversity is a discipline tailored to a world… ![“Harnessing adversity is a discipline tailored to a world of unpredictable outcomes--a world where one can disturb, but not wholly direct, a living system. Because the unexpected--adversity--is guaranteed, this discipline is about routinely making lemons into lemon meringue pie.” quote by Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/richard-pascale-34660_adversity_harnessing-adversity-is-a-discipline-tai_183555.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/richard-pascale-34660_adversity_harnessing-adversity-is-a-discipline-tai_183555.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/richard-pascale-34660_adversity_harnessing-adversity-is-a-discipline-tai_183555.jpg) > “Harnessing adversity is a discipline tailored to a world of unpredictable outcomes--a world where one can disturb, but not wholly direct, a living system. Because the unexpected--adversity--is guaranteed, this discipline is about routinely making lemons into lemon meringue pie.” [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adversity is inevitable; treating it as a disciplined practice lets you transform challenges into creative opportunities, like turning lemons into a dessert. **In simple terms:** Embrace challenges and turn them into something better. Key Takeaway Practice turning problems into opportunities. Themes resilience creativity uncertainty adaptation Mood determined hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - crisis management - personal growth Key Concepts systems thinking discipline innovation growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can you systematically address unexpected setbacks? - What small habit helps you reframe adversity? A Different Perspective If you ignore the discipline, you may be overwhelmed by chaos. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Adversity Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity-discipline-1955843/) [Adversity Guaranteed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity-guaranteed-1955844/) [Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Harnessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harnessing-1955845/) [Harnessing Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harnessing-adversity-1955842/) [Lemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lemons/) [Outcomes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outcomes/) [Pie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pie/) [Tailored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tailored/) [Unexpected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexpected/) [Unpredictable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpredictable/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [That loss was to breed an independence, a toughness of spirit, and an awareness of adversity and discipline that have never left me,.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-player/that-loss-was-to-breed-an-independence-a-toughness-of-spirit-and-an/) [Gary Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-player/) > [I've had no problem harnessing anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-ve-had-no-problem-harnessing-anger/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [I was actually telling people that - by harnessing the atom - we could enter a new era of unlimited power that would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-brower/i-was-actually-telling-people-that-by-harnessing-the-atom-we-could/) [David R. Brower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-brower/) > [“Harnessing likability is about uncovering what is authentically likable—in you, in the other person, in your connection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tillis-lederman/harnessing-likability-is-about-uncovering-what-is-authentically/) [Michelle Tillis Lederman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tillis-lederman/) > [I've had to have some of my dress clothes tailored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-shaw/i-ve-had-to-have-some-of-my-dress-clothes-tailored/) [Brian Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-shaw/) > [I love tailcoats; I love blazers. I love tailored things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shenae-grimes/i-love-tailcoats-i-love-blazers-i-love-tailored-things/) [Shenae Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shenae-grimes/) > [I'm a big fan of everything that Zara does; they have so many great tailored pieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-lowe/i-m-a-big-fan-of-everything-that-zara-does-they-have-so-many-great/) [Daisy Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-lowe/) > [Any artistic achievement that is tailored to conform to social demands rather than to the real, uninhibited, feelings of its creator, is destined not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/any-artistic-achievement-that-is-tailored-to-conform-to-social/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Doing womenswear is challenging, and it's exciting. I approach it the same way as I approach menswear, so it's in a tailored way, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-browne/doing-womenswear-is-challenging-and-it-s-exciting-i-approach-it-the/) [Thom Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-browne/) > [Over the years, I've learned that you can have fun with the fabrics and other elements, but if it's not tailored right, you'll blow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-marsden/over-the-years-i-ve-learned-that-you-can-have-fun-with-the-fabrics/) [James Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-marsden/) > [I've got quite a curvy shape so I try to wear stuff that's tailored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-quite-a-curvy-shape-so-i-try-to-wear-stuff-that-s-tailored/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The thing I learned about suits is that they only fit you for about a week after you've had them tailored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/the-thing-i-learned-about-suits-is-that-they-only-fit-you-for-about-a/) [Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/) > [ \[I hate\] the ways that people want their special needs to be met, whether it's their food allergies or their special lotions or shoes.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-hate-the-ways-that-people-want-their-special-needs-to-be-met/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [At home, off-duty, I wear T-shirts from Fruit of the Loom - but I have them tailored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/at-home-off-duty-i-wear-t-shirts-from-fruit-of-the-loom-but-i-have/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [Originally, back in 1992, DKNY started because I couldn't find a pair of jeans. I also wanted to dress my teenage daughter Gabby. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/originally-back-in-1992-dkny-started-because-i-couldn-t-find-a-pair/) [Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/) ## More by Richard Pascale > [Discoveries from one community cannot be repackaged and provided to another as a silver bullet, That's a "best practice" rollout and it invariably evokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/discoveries-from-one-community-cannot-be-repackaged-and-provided-to/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [Organizations are, in the last analysis, interactions among people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/organizations-are-in-the-last-analysis-interactions-among-people/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [Knowledge does not advance practice. Rather practice advances knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/knowledge-does-not-advance-practice-rather-practice-advances-knowledge/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [Leadership is making happen what wouldn't happen anyway and this always entails working at the edge of what is acceptable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/leadership-is-making-happen-what-wouldn-t-happen-anyway-and-this/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [Contrary to widespread faith in "communication" and "knowledge transfer," information has a social life, and unless new insights are embedded in the social system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/contrary-to-widespread-faith-in-communication-and-knowledge-transfer/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [Great companies make meaning. A company has a name, but its people give it meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/great-companies-make-meaning-a-company-has-a-name-but-its-people-give/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [Unintended consequences get to the heart of why you never really understand an adaptive problem until you have solved it. Problems morph and "solutions"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/unintended-consequences-get-to-the-heart-of-why-you-never-really/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [Explicit knowledge, conventionally delivered like pizza (neat boxes with toppings of concepts, theories, best practices and war stories), is consumed by the brain but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/explicit-knowledge-conventionally-delivered-like-pizza-neat-boxes/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [Corporations, in the name of efficiency, suppress variation by "getting all the ducks in line."To optimize productivity, they evolve highly refined and internally consistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/corporations-in-the-name-of-efficiency-suppress-variation-by-getting/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [People are much more likely to act their way into a new way of thinking, than think their way into a new way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/people-are-much-more-likely-to-act-their-way-into-a-new-way-of/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [The inherent preferences of organizations are clarity, certainty and perfection. The inherent nature of human relationships involves ambiguity, uncertainty, and imperfection. How one honors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/the-inherent-preferences-of-organizations-are-clarity-certainty-and/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [The incremental approach to change is effective when what you want is more of what you've already got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/the-incremental-approach-to-change-is-effective-when-what-you-want-is/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [The real objective isn't just "knowledge" or getting an 80-20 understanding of the situation. The overriding objective is engagement, creating a buzz, mobilizing people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/the-real-objective-isn-t-just-knowledge-or-getting-an-80-20/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) [Explore all 14 Richard Pascale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) [James Buckham Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buckham-kennedy/) > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) [S.E. SEVER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-sever/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Harnessing adversity is a discipline tailored to a world of unpredictable outcomes--a world where one can disturb, but not wholly direct, a living system. 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