Building Character

Learning to deal with and overcoming adversity is what builds character and resilience. Every challenge and every difficulty we successfully confront in life serves to strengthen our will, confidence and ability to conquer future obstacles.

When you take on a physical and mental challenge like the Kokoda Track it offers you the opportunity to explore the concept of adversity but through the eyes of the Diggers. What they had to overcome is mind boggling, and when you experience just one aspect alone.. the unforgiving terrain, it really allows you to put your challenge in perspective.

The track teaches you to accept adversity and that inevitably occurs in life. When you respond positively and constructively to your biggest challenges, the qualities of strength, courage, character, endurance and perseverance emerge from deep inside of you.

Herodotus, the Greek philosopher, said, "Adversity has the effect of drawing out strength and qualities of a man or woman that would have lain dormant in its absence."

On any trail, the challenge to formulate a successful plan while assessing the relevant information needed to do so, creates a state of fluidity. The constant need to be flexible in attitude and concentration. By participating, it offers the opportunity to enter an environment that is so different to the often stagnant and over governed system in which we play every day. Often on the track we take strength and inspiration from the stories of those that have gone before us and their triumphs in overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds.

Overcoming adversity is one of our main challenges in life. When we resolve to confront and overcome it, we become expert at dealing with it and consequently triumph over our day-to-day struggles.

Resilience like any muscle is built up gradually and exponentially with repeated exposure to obstacles.